Latest Radiotherapy Techniques

Locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are often managed with surgery followed by postoperative radiochemotherapy (RCT). With the general increase in life expectancy, the proportion of elderly patients with HNSCC is expected to grow rapidly. Until now, a deeper understanding of specific management strategies for these patients in clinical routine was lacking. In the present study, we compared elderly patients (≥70 years, n = 52) and younger patients (n = 245) treated with postoperative RCT for HNSCC at our tertiary cancer center. All patients were irradiated with modern radiotherapy techniques (IMRT/VMAT). Patients ≥70 years of age had more comorbidities. Additionally, elderly patients less frequently received concomitant systemic treatment. The rates of mucositis and dermatitis were lower in patients ≥70 years. Elderly patients had significantly worse overall and progression-free survival. Locoregional and distant control were comparable in elderly and younger patients. In conclusion, postoperative RCT is a safe and effective treatment option in patients ≥70 years. In light of comorbidities and poor overall survival rates, benefits and harms of radiotherapy and concomitant systemic treatment should be weighed carefully. When exclusively applying up-to-date radiotherapy techniques with, at the same time, careful use of concomitant systemic therapy, favorable acute toxicity profiles are achieved.

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GCT-61. CORRELATION OF PATTERNS OF DISEASE RECURRENCE WITH RADIOTHERAPY TECHNIQUES AND DOSE IN INTRACRANIAL GERM CELL TUMOURS (icGCT): LESSONS FROM THE UK COHORT OF SIOP GCT96 STUDY

Neuro-Oncology ◽

10.1093/neuonc/noaa222.278 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. iii340-iii340

Author(s):

Thankamma Ajithkumar ◽

Henry Mandeville ◽

Fernando Carceller ◽

Milind Ronghe ◽

Tina Foord ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Disease Recurrence ◽

Germ Cell Tumours ◽

Prospective Data ◽

Data Collection And Analysis ◽

Radiotherapy Techniques ◽

The Uk ◽

A Prospective Study ◽

Patterns Of Recurrence

Abstract BACKGROUND There are global variations in radiotherapy approaches for icGCT. An understanding of patterns of disease recurrence correlated with radiation techniques and doses is important in standardising and improving the quality of radiotherapy using high-precision techniques. METHODS AND RESULTS Data from 20 patients with tumour recurrence after treatment within the SIOP GCT96 study in the UK were analysed. Seven (35%) patients had germinoma and 13 (65%) had non-germinoma. Twelve patients had local recurrence, 5 had metastatic and 3 had local and metastatic disease. Radiotherapy details were retrieved in only 8 patients (40%). Six patients had received focal radiotherapy and two craniospinal radiotherapy. Of the patients who received focal radiotherapy, 4 had recurrence within the radiation portal, one had periventricular recurrence and one had marker-positive recurrence with no radiological lesions. Both patients who received CSI recurred within the CSF space. The main reasons for poor retrieval of treatment details were difficulty in retrieving archived information and that the study was conducted during a period before PACS or electronic radiotherapy records. CONCLUSION This study highlights the importance prospective data collection and analysis to understand the patterns of recurrence in icGCT. Even within a prospective study, radiotherapy techniques varied between centres. There is therefore an urgent need for centralised radiological review and prospective radiotherapy quality assurance measures in future clinical trials.

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