Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 24873

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
Interests: precision medicine; radiotherapy; personalized oncology; stereotactic radiotherapy; neuro-oncology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Improvements in the targeting of genomic and immunosuppressive cancer drivers have led to major advances in the treatment of various tumors. Personalized oncology treats patients according to these specific disease mechanisms of their individual cancers and aims to improve the outcome. In the era of targeted therapies, radiation therapy has the potential to become a critical component of systemic cancer therapy. Combined-modality approaches with immunotherapy or other targeted therapies may have synergistic effects. Radiation therapy also has the possibility to personalize treatments through changes in treatment technique or the combination of different modalities, such as photon radiotherapy with particle therapy. Personalized radiation oncology can include RT technical aspects, imaging, and radiomics. The recent technology-driven improvements of treatment conformity, imaging, and adaptive radiotherapy are widening the therapeutic window of radiation oncology in the era of precision medicine and allow individual dose escalation strategies but also allow new possibilities for re-irradiation in recurrent situations. This Special Issue will address the latest exciting developments in the field.

PD Dr. Denise Bernhardt
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Radiation therapy
  • Targeted therapy
  • Adaptive radiotherapy
  • Immunotherapy
  • Re-irradiation
  • Personalized medicine

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 569 KiB  
Article
Feasibility of Using Wearables for Home Monitoring during Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer—Results from the OncoWatch 1.0 Study
by Cecilie Holländer-Mieritz, Emma Balch Steen-Olsen, Claus Andrup Kristensen, Christoffer Johansen, Ivan Richter Vogelius and Helle Pappot
Cancers 2023, 15(2), 422; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15020422 - 09 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1366
Abstract
Background: Consumer wearables allow objective health data monitoring, e.g., of physical activity and heart rate, which might change over a cancer treatment course. Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) receiving radiotherapy (RT) with curative intent typically experience side effects such as pain, [...] Read more.
Background: Consumer wearables allow objective health data monitoring, e.g., of physical activity and heart rate, which might change over a cancer treatment course. Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) receiving radiotherapy (RT) with curative intent typically experience side effects such as pain, decreased appetite, and dehydration, which may lead to hospitalizations. Therefore, health data monitoring could be important to understand a patient’s condition outside the hospital. The OncoWatch 1.0 study investigated the feasibility of using smartwatches for patients with HNC receiving RT. Methods: This study was a prospective, single-cohort feasibility study. The inclusion criteria were patients ≥ 18 years of age who planned to receive curatively intended radiotherapy for HNC. Consenting patients were asked to wear a smartwatch during RT and until two weeks after the end of RT. The primary endpoint was adherence. The secondary endpoints were data acquisition and variations in heart rate and physical activity. Results: Ten patients were included, with a median age of 62 years and eight males. The adherence rate for wearing the watch >12 h/d over the study period was 31%. The data acquisition rate was 61%. Conclusions: Although the primary endpoint was not reached, new knowledge has been established, including the secure data setup and key points that need to be addressed in future studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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15 pages, 2500 KiB  
Article
A Dosiomics Analysis Based on Linear Energy Transfer and Biological Dose Maps to Predict Local Recurrence in Sacral Chordomas after Carbon-Ion Radiotherapy
by Letizia Morelli, Giovanni Parrella, Silvia Molinelli, Giuseppe Magro, Simone Annunziata, Andrea Mairani, Agnieszka Chalaszczyk, Maria Rosaria Fiore, Mario Ciocca, Chiara Paganelli, Ester Orlandi and Guido Baroni
Cancers 2023, 15(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15010033 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1614
Abstract
Carbon Ion Radiotherapy (CIRT) is one of the most promising therapeutic options to reduce Local Recurrence (LR) in Sacral Chordomas (SC). The aim of this work is to compare the performances of survival models fed with dosiomics features and conventional DVH metrics extracted [...] Read more.
Carbon Ion Radiotherapy (CIRT) is one of the most promising therapeutic options to reduce Local Recurrence (LR) in Sacral Chordomas (SC). The aim of this work is to compare the performances of survival models fed with dosiomics features and conventional DVH metrics extracted from relative biological effectiveness (RBE)-weighted dose (DRBE) and dose-averaged Linear Energy Transfer (LETd) maps, towards the identification of possible prognostic factors for LR in SC patients treated with CIRT. This retrospective study included 50 patients affected by SC with a focus on patients that presented a relapse in a high-dose region. Survival models were built to predict both LR and High-Dose Local Recurrencies (HD-LR). The models were evaluated through Harrell Concordance Index (C-index) and patients were stratified into high/low-risk groups. Local Recurrence-free Kaplan–Meier curves were estimated and evaluated through log-rank tests. The model with highest performance (median(interquartile-range) C-index of 0.86 (0.22)) was built on features extracted from LETd maps, with DRBE models showing promising but weaker results (C-index of 0.83 (0.21), 0.80 (0.21)). Although the study should be extended to a wider patient population, LETd maps show potential as a prognostic factor for SC HD-LR in CIRT, and dosiomics appears to be the most promising approach against more conventional methods (e.g., DVH-based). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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13 pages, 2101 KiB  
Article
Prediction of Radiotherapy Compliance in Elderly Cancer Patients Using an Internally Validated Decision Tree
by Biche Osong, Inigo Bermejo, Kyu Chan Lee, Seok Ho Lee, Andre Dekker and Johan van Soest
Cancers 2022, 14(24), 6116; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14246116 - 12 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1262
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the relationship between the available variables and treatment compliance in elderly cancer patients treated with radiotherapy and to establish a decision tree model to guide caregivers in their decision-making process. For this purpose, 456 patients over 74 years [...] Read more.
This study aims to analyze the relationship between the available variables and treatment compliance in elderly cancer patients treated with radiotherapy and to establish a decision tree model to guide caregivers in their decision-making process. For this purpose, 456 patients over 74 years of age who received radiotherapy between 2005 and 2017 were included in this retrospective analysis. The outcome of interest was radiotherapy compliance, determined by whether patients completed their scheduled radiotherapy treatment (compliance means they completed their treatment and noncompliance means they did not). A bootstrap (B = 400) technique was implemented to select the best tuning parameters to establish the decision tree. The developed decision tree uses patient status, the Charlson comorbidity index, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance scale, age, sex, cancer type, health insurance status, radiotherapy aim, and fractionation type (conventional fractionation versus hypofractionation) to distinguish between compliant and noncompliant patients. The decision tree’s mean area under the curve and 95% confidence interval was 0.71 (0.66–0.77). Although external validation is needed to determine the decision tree’s clinical usefulness, its discriminating ability was moderate and it could serve as an aid for caregivers to select the optimal treatment for elderly cancer patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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11 pages, 1597 KiB  
Article
As Easy as 1, 2, 3? How to Determine CBCT Frequency in Adjuvant Breast Radiotherapy
by Yannis Junker, Mathias Düsberg, Rebecca Asadpour, Sophie Klusen, Stefan Münch, Denise Bernhardt, Stephanie Elisabeth Combs and Kai Joachim Borm
Cancers 2022, 14(17), 4164; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14174164 - 27 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2999
Abstract
The current study aims to assess the suitability of setup errors during the first three treatment fractions to determine cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) frequency in adjuvant breast radiotherapy. For this, 45 breast cancer patients receiving non-hypofractionated radiotherapy after lumpectomy, including a simultaneous integrated [...] Read more.
The current study aims to assess the suitability of setup errors during the first three treatment fractions to determine cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) frequency in adjuvant breast radiotherapy. For this, 45 breast cancer patients receiving non-hypofractionated radiotherapy after lumpectomy, including a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) to the tumor bed and daily CBCT imaging, were retrospectively selected. In a first step, mean and maximum setup errors on treatment days 1–3 were correlated with the mean setup errors during subsequent treatment days. In a second step, dose distribution was estimated using a dose accumulation workflow based on deformable image registration, and setup errors on treatment days 1–3 were correlated with dose deviations in the clinical target volumes (CTV) and organs at risk (OAR). No significant correlation was found between mean and maximum setup errors on treatment days 1–3 and mean setup errors during subsequent treatment days. In addition, mean and maximum setup errors on treatment days 1–3 correlated poorly with dose coverage of the CTVs and dose to the OARs. Thus, CBCT frequency in adjuvant breast radiotherapy should not be determined solely based on the magnitude of setup errors during the first three treatment fractions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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12 pages, 979 KiB  
Article
Sequential Hypofractionated versus Concurrent Twice-Daily Radiotherapy for Limited-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
by Wei Zhou, Pang Wang, Xinyu Ti, Yutian Yin, Shigao Huang, Zhi Yang, Jie Li, Guangjin Chai, Bo Lyu, Zhaohui Li, Yan Zhou, Feng Xiao, Lin Xu, Mei Shi and Lina Zhao
Cancers 2022, 14(16), 3920; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14163920 - 13 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1369
Abstract
Background: As there are no randomized trials comparing twice-daily with sequential hypofractionated (sequential hypo) radiotherapy regimens for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). This study aimed to compare these two regimens for LS-SCLC by propensity score-matched analysis (PSM). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 108 LS-SCLC [...] Read more.
Background: As there are no randomized trials comparing twice-daily with sequential hypofractionated (sequential hypo) radiotherapy regimens for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). This study aimed to compare these two regimens for LS-SCLC by propensity score-matched analysis (PSM). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 108 LS-SCLC patients between January 2015 and July 2019. All patients received concurrent twice-daily or sequential hypo radiotherapy. The survival, failure patterns, and toxicities were evaluated before and after PSM. Results: Before PSM, multivariate analysis showed that patients treated with sequential hypo had a significantly better overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (HR = 0.353, p = 0.009; HR = 0.483, p = 0.039, respectively). Total radiotherapy time ≥ 24 days and stage III (HR = 2.454, p = 0.004; HR = 2.310, p = 0.004, respectively) were poor prognostic indicators for OS. Patients with a total radiotherapy time ≥ 24 days and N2–3 were more likely to recur than others (HR = 1.774, p = 0.048; HR = 2.369, p = 0.047, respectively). N2–3 (HR = 3.032, p = 0.011) was a poor prognostic indicator for DMFS. After PSM, being aged ≥65 years was associated with poorer OS, relapse-free survival (RFS) and DMFS (p < 0.05). A total radiotherapy time of ≥24 days was a poor prognostic indicator for OS and RFS (HR = 2.671, p = 0.046; HR = 2.370, p = 0.054, respectively). Although there was no significant difference, the patients in the sequential hypo group had a trend towards a better OS. The failure pattern between the two groups showed no difference. More patients had grade 1–2 esophagitis in the twice-daily group (p = 0.001). Conclusions: After propensity matching, no difference was shown in survival and failure. The sequential hypo schedule was associated with comparable survival and less toxicity and may be used as an alternative to concurrent twice-daily regimens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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20 pages, 3262 KiB  
Article
DNA Repair Inhibitors Potentiate Fractionated Radiotherapy More Than Single-Dose Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer Cells
by Wen-Kyle Wong, Francisco D. C. Guerra Liberal and Stephen J. McMahon
Cancers 2022, 14(15), 3794; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14153794 - 04 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2309
Abstract
Pharmacological inhibitors of DNA damage response (DDR) proteins, such as the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) kinases and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), have been developed to overcome tumor radioresistance. Despite demonstrating radiosensitization preclinically, they have performed suboptimally in clinical trials, [...] Read more.
Pharmacological inhibitors of DNA damage response (DDR) proteins, such as the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) kinases and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), have been developed to overcome tumor radioresistance. Despite demonstrating radiosensitization preclinically, they have performed suboptimally in clinical trials, possibly due to an incomplete understanding of the influence of DDR inhibition on ionizing radiation (IR) dose fractionation and sublethal damage repair. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the radiosensitizing ability under fractionation of ATM inhibitor AZD0156, ATR inhibitor AZD6738 and PARP inhibitor AZD2281 (olaparib), utilizing MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Clonogenic assays were performed to assess cell survival and sublethal damage repair after treatment with DDR inhibitors and either single-dose or fractionated IR. Immunofluorescence microscopy was utilized to evaluate DNA double-strand break repair kinetics. Cell cycle distributions were investigated using flow cytometry. All inhibitors showed significant radiosensitization, which was significantly greater following fractionated IR than single-dose IR. They also led to more unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks at 24 h post-IR. This study provides preclinical evidence for the role of AZD0156, AZD6738 and olaparib as radiosensitizing agents. Still, it highlights the need to evaluate these drugs in fractionated settings mirroring clinical practice to optimize the trial design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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11 pages, 1001 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Clinical Outcomes and Safety Analysis of Superficial Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated with Definitive or Adjuvant Radiotherapy
by Bo Lyu, Yutian Yin, Yilin Zhao, Xu Yang, Jie Gong, Mai Zhang, Guangjin Chai, Zhaohui Li, Mei Shi, Zhouguang Hui and Lina Zhao
Cancers 2022, 14(14), 3423; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14143423 - 14 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1192
Abstract
(1) Background: The role of radiotherapy (RT) in superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) remains unclear. The objective of our study was to perform a detailed outcome and safety analysis of RT as a definitive or adjuvant treatment for T1N0M0 staged ESCC patients. [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The role of radiotherapy (RT) in superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) remains unclear. The objective of our study was to perform a detailed outcome and safety analysis of RT as a definitive or adjuvant treatment for T1N0M0 staged ESCC patients. (2) Methods: A total of 55 patients treated with endoscopic resection (ER) + RT/concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) or RT/CCRT from January 2011 to June 2021 were included in this study. Eighteen patients with risk factors received ER + RT/CCRT, and thirty-seven patients solely received RT/CCRT. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to calculate the clinical outcomes, and toxicities were scored. (3) Results: The median follow-up time was 51.9 months. The estimated 5-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS) were 88.9% and 94.4% in the ER + RT/CCRT group and 91.8% and 91.7% in the RT/CCRT group. The predominant failure pattern was in-field local failure (5.5%, 3/55), with one patient in the ER + RT/CCRT group and two patients in the RT/CCRT group. One patient (1.8%, 1/55) had lung metastasis in the RT/CCRT group. The most common toxicities were Grades 1–2 in all patients, including esophagitis (74.5%, 41/55), myelosuppression (49.1%, 27/55) and esophageal stricture after RT (27.3%, 15/55). Two patients (11.1%, 2/18) and four patients (10.8%, 4/37) had Grade 3 esophageal stricture after RT in the ER + RT/CCRT group and RT/CCRT group, respectively. No patients experienced a Grade 4 or higher toxicity, and there were no treatment-related deaths. (4) Conclusions: Definitive or adjuvant RT/CCRT is an effective treatment alternative for superficial ESCC patients with satisfactory clinical outcomes and acceptable toxicities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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12 pages, 1377 KiB  
Article
Secondary Malignancy Risk Following Proton vs. X-ray Radiotherapy of Thymic Epithelial Tumors: A Comparative Modeling Study of Thoracic Organ-Specific Cancer Risk
by Laila König, Juliane Hörner-Rieber, Matthew Forsthoefel, Peter Haering, Eva Meixner, Tanja Eichkorn, Anna Krämer, Thomas Mielke, Eric Tonndorf-Martini, Matthias F. Haefner, Jürgen Debus and Jonathan W. Lischalk
Cancers 2022, 14(10), 2409; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14102409 - 13 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1639
Abstract
Background: Proton beam radiotherapy (PBT) offers physical dose advantages that might reduce the risk for secondary malignancies (SM). The aim of the current study is to calculate the risk for SM after X-ray-based 3D conformal (3DCRT) radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and active pencil [...] Read more.
Background: Proton beam radiotherapy (PBT) offers physical dose advantages that might reduce the risk for secondary malignancies (SM). The aim of the current study is to calculate the risk for SM after X-ray-based 3D conformal (3DCRT) radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and active pencil beam scanned proton therapy (PBS) in patients treated for thymic malignancies. Methods: Comparative treatment plans for each of the different treatment modalities were generated for 17 patients. The risk for radiation-induced SM was estimated using two distinct prediction models—the Dasu and the Schneider model. Results: The total and fatal SM risks estimated using the Dasu model demonstrated significant reductions with the use of PBS relative to both 3DCRT and IMRT for all independent thoracic organs analyzed with the exception of the thyroid gland (p ≤ 0.001). SM rates per 10,000 patients per year per Gy evaluated using the Schneider model also resulted in significant reductions with the use of PBS relative to 3DCRT and IMRT for the lungs, breasts, and esophagus (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusions: PBS achieved superior sparing of relevant OARs compared to 3DCRT and IMRT, leading to a lower risk for radiation-induced SM. PBS should therefore be considered in patients diagnosed with thymic malignancies, particularly young female patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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9 pages, 237 KiB  
Article
Factors Associated with Hemorrhage of Melanoma Brain Metastases after Stereotactic Radiosurgery in the Era of Targeted/Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapies
by Eleni Zoga, Robert Wolff, Hanns Ackermann, Markus Meissner, Claus Rödel, Nikolaos Tselis and Georgios Chatzikonstantinou
Cancers 2022, 14(10), 2391; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14102391 - 12 May 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2090
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the factors associated with hemorrhage (HA) of melanoma brain metastases (MBM) after Cyberknife stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the modern era of systemic therapy. A total of 55 patients with 279 MBM were treated in 93 fractions. The median age, [...] Read more.
We aimed to evaluate the factors associated with hemorrhage (HA) of melanoma brain metastases (MBM) after Cyberknife stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the modern era of systemic therapy. A total of 55 patients with 279 MBM were treated in 93 fractions. The median age, SRS dose, radiological follow-up, and time to HA were 60.4 years, 20 Gy, 17.7 months, and 10.7 months, respectively. Radiologically evident HA was documented in 47 (16.8%) metastases. Of the 55 patients, 25 (45.4%) suffered an HA. Among those, HA caused grade 3 toxicity in 10 patients (40%) and grade 1 symptoms in 5 patients (20%). Ten patients (40%) with HA experienced no toxicity. Logistic regression revealed the use of anticoagulants and the administration of systemic therapy within 7/15 days from SRS to be predictive for HA. When considering the HA causing grade 3 symptomatology, only the use of anticoagulants was significant, with the delivery of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) before the HA narrowly missing statistical significance. Our retrospective analysis showed that the administration of modern systemic therapy within 7/15 days from SRS may contribute to HA of MBM, though it appears safe, at least concerning grade 3 toxicity. The use of anticoagulants by the time of SRS significantly increased the risk of HA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)

Review

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23 pages, 1195 KiB  
Review
The Normal, the Radiosensitive, and the Ataxic in the Era of Precision Radiotherapy: A Narrative Review
by Sandrine Pereira, Ester Orlandi, Sophie Deneuve, Amelia Barcellini, Agnieszka Chalaszczyk, Isabelle Behm-Ansmant, Liza Hettal, Tiziana Rancati, Guillaume Vogin and Juliette Thariat
Cancers 2022, 14(24), 6252; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14246252 - 19 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2016
Abstract
(1) Background: radiotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment. When delivering a tumoricidal dose, the risk of severe late toxicities is usually kept below 5% using dose-volume constraints. However, individual radiation sensitivity (iRS) is responsible (with other technical factors) for unexpected toxicities after [...] Read more.
(1) Background: radiotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment. When delivering a tumoricidal dose, the risk of severe late toxicities is usually kept below 5% using dose-volume constraints. However, individual radiation sensitivity (iRS) is responsible (with other technical factors) for unexpected toxicities after exposure to a dose that induces no toxicity in the general population. Diagnosing iRS before radiotherapy could avoid unnecessary toxicities in patients with a grossly normal phenotype. Thus, we reviewed iRS diagnostic data and their impact on decision-making processes and the RT workflow; (2) Methods: following a description of radiation toxicities, we conducted a critical review of the current state of the knowledge on individual determinants of cellular/tissue radiation; (3) Results: tremendous advances in technology now allow minimally-invasive genomic, epigenetic and functional testing and a better understanding of iRS. Ongoing large translational studies implement various tests and enriched NTCP models designed to improve the prediction of toxicities. iRS testing could better support informed radiotherapy decisions for individuals with a normal phenotype who experience unusual toxicities. Ethics of medical decisions with an accurate prediction of personalized radiotherapy’s risk/benefits and its health economics impact are at stake; (4) Conclusions: iRS testing represents a critical unmet need to design personalized radiotherapy protocols relying on extended NTCP models integrating iRS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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26 pages, 2015 KiB  
Review
Clinical Viability of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for Personalized Radiation Treatment
by Dominika Skwierawska, José Antonio López-Valverde, Marcin Balcerzyk and Antonio Leal
Cancers 2022, 14(12), 2865; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14122865 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3722
Abstract
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a promising binary disease-targeted therapy, as neutrons preferentially kill cells labeled with boron (10B), which makes it a precision medicine treatment modality that provides a therapeutic effect exclusively on patient-specific tumor spread. Contrary to what [...] Read more.
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a promising binary disease-targeted therapy, as neutrons preferentially kill cells labeled with boron (10B), which makes it a precision medicine treatment modality that provides a therapeutic effect exclusively on patient-specific tumor spread. Contrary to what is usual in radiotherapy, BNCT proposes cell-tailored treatment planning rather than to the tumor mass. The success of BNCT depends mainly on the sufficient spatial biodistribution of 10B located around or within neoplastic cells to produce a high-dose gradient between the tumor and healthy tissue. However, it is not yet possible to precisely determine the concentration of 10B in a specific tissue in real-time using non-invasive methods. Critical issues remain to be resolved if BNCT is to become a valuable, minimally invasive, and efficient treatment. In addition, functional imaging technologies, such as PET, can be applied to determine biological information that can be used for the combined-modality radiotherapy protocol for each specific patient. Regardless, not only imaging methods but also proteomics and gene expression methods will facilitate BNCT becoming a modality of personalized medicine. This work provides an overview of the fundamental principles, recent advances, and future directions of BNCT as cell-targeted cancer therapy for personalized radiation treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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Other

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14 pages, 2643 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Role of Neuroaxis Irradiation in the Treatment of Intraspinal Ewing Sarcoma: A Review and Meta-Analysis
by Fabian M. Troschel, Kai Kröger, Jan J. Siats, Kambiz Rahbar, Hans Theodor Eich and Sergiu Scobioala
Cancers 2022, 14(5), 1209; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14051209 - 25 Feb 2022
Viewed by 1859
Abstract
The role of cranio-spinal irradiation (CSI) for primary extraosseous intraspinal Ewing sarcoma (EwS) remains unclear. Here, we evaluate clinical and survival outcomes in patients with primary intraspinal EwS treated with CSI as part of multimodal primary therapy regimens. We abstracted patient information, including [...] Read more.
The role of cranio-spinal irradiation (CSI) for primary extraosseous intraspinal Ewing sarcoma (EwS) remains unclear. Here, we evaluate clinical and survival outcomes in patients with primary intraspinal EwS treated with CSI as part of multimodal primary therapy regimens. We abstracted patient information, including details on treatment application, efficacy, and tolerance from the literature and our hospital database for a cohort of 24 primary intraspinal EwS patients treated with CSI. Median age was 25.5 years, median CSI dose was 36 Gy and mean boost dose was 12.8 Gy. Sixteen patients (66.7%) achieved complete radiological remission, another 5 patients demonstrated partial response and 1 patient showed no response to treatment. Compared to a cohort of patients treated with focal radiotherapy, CSI patients were more likely to have multifocal disease at time of diagnosis (p = 0.001) and intradural tumor location (p < 0.001). Despite over-representation of these unfavorable characteristics, there was no survival difference between groups (p = 0.58). While CSI shows promising results in the treatment of primary intraspinal EwS, treatment should be considered individually based on tumor and patient characteristics in the absence of prospective trials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Radiation Therapy for Oncology)
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