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Metastasis-directed therapy by stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in the oligometastatic prostate cancer setting. We aimed to investigate whether short-course androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and SBRT at all oligometastatic sites versus SBRT alone improves clinical progression-free survival in men with metachronous oligorecurrent hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. The RADIOSA study was a single-centre, randomised, open-label, controlled phase 2 trial done in the European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy. Key eligibility criteria were histologically proven initial diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate, biochemical progression after radical local prostate treatment, nodal relapse in the pelvis, extra-regional nodal relapse, bone metastases at next-generation imaging with a maximum of three lesions, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0–1, and age 18 years or older. Participants were stratified according to prostate-specific membrane antigen doubling time (≤3 vs >3 months), metastases localisation (node vs bone), and diagnostic imaging (positron emission tomography vs MRI) and were randomly assigned (1:1) using a computer-generated random number to SBRT alone or SBRT in combination with 6 months of ADT. For SBRT treatment, a schedule of 30 Gy in three fractions every other day (with the equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions being 98·6 Gy, considering α/β ratio of 1·5 Gy and biologically effective dose of >100 Gy), or equivalent regimens depending on disease site location, was administered. Patients in the SBRT with ADT group received 6 months of ADT with a luteinising hormone-releasing hormone analogue within 1 week before the start of SBRT. The allocated treatment was not masked. The primary outcome measure was clinical progression-free survival. All analyses followed a modified intention-to-treat principle, consisting of all patients assigned to a treatment group who had available data. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02680587, and is complete. Between Aug 1, 2019, and April 30, 2023, 218 patients were assessed for eligibility, 113 were excluded, and 105 were enrolled and randomly assigned to an intervention (52 to SBRT only and 53 to SBRT with ADT). Three patients were lost to follow-up and 51 patients in each group were assessed for the primary outcome. The median age at study enrolment was 70 years (IQR 65–75); data on race and ethnicity were not collected. With a median follow-up of 31 months (IQR 16–36) for both groups, the median clinical progression-free survival was 15·1 months (95% CI 12·4–22·8) for the SBRT group versus 32·2 months (22·4–not reached) for the SBRT with ADT group (hazard ratio 0·43 [95% CI 0·26–0·72], p=0·0010]). One gastrointestinal grade 1 adverse event (SBRT group) and one genitourinary grade 3 adverse event (left ureter stenosis, SBRT with ADT group) were reported, with no late toxicities observed. 22 grade 1 ADT-related adverse events were reported, all of which had resolved at the last follow-up. No treatment-related deaths were recorded. To our knowledge, the RADIOSA trial represents the first randomised trial in the metachronous oligometastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer setting to report improved clinical progression-free survival with the combination of SBRT and a short course of ADT, although carefully selected patients might still benefit from SBRT alone. By demonstrating improved clinical progression-free survival, the RADIOSA trial reinforces the role of metastasis-directed therapy in delaying systemic treatment escalation. Additionally, it underscores the need for further studies to determine the optimal duration of ADT and identify biomarkers predicting response to SBRT alone. Italian Association of Cancer Research.

Objectives Radiomic involves testing the associations of a large number of quantitative imaging features with clinical characteristics. Our aim was to extract a radiomic signature from axial T2-weighted (T2-W) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the whole prostate able to predict oncological and radiological scores in prostate cancer (PCa). Methods This study included 65 patients with localized PCa treated with radiotherapy (RT) between 2014 and 2018. For each patient, the T2-W MRI images were normalized with the histogram intensity scale standardization method. Features were extracted with the IBEX software. The association of each radiomic feature with risk class, T-stage, Gleason score (GS), extracapsular extension (ECE) score, and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS v2) score was assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results Forty-nine out of 65 patients were eligible. Among the 1702 features extracted, 3 to 6 features with the highest predictive power were selected for each outcome. This analysis showed that texture features were the most predictive for GS, PI-RADS v2 score, and risk class; intensity features were highly associated with T-stage, ECE score, and risk class, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) ranging from 0.74 to 0.94. Conclusions MRI-based radiomics is a promising tool for prediction of PCa characteristics. Although a significant association was found between the selected features and all the mentioned clinical/radiological scores, further validations on larger cohorts are needed before these findings can be applied in the clinical practice. Key Points • A radiomic model was used to classify PCa aggressiveness. • Radiomic analysis was performed on T2-W magnetic resonance images of the whole prostate gland. • The most predictive features belong to the texture (57%) and intensity (43%) domains.

The risk of radiation-induced toxicity in patients treated for head and neck (HN) cancer with radiation therapy (RT) is traditionally estimated by condensing the 3D dose distribution into a monodimensional cumulative dose-volume histogram which disregards information on dose localization. We hypothesized that a voxel-based approach would identify correlations between radiation-induced morbidity and local dose release, thus providing a new insight into spatial signature of radiation sensitivity in composite regions like the HN district. This methodology was applied to a cohort of HN cancer patients treated with RT at risk of radiation-induced acute dysphagia (RIAD). We implemented an inter-patient elastic image registration framework that proved robust enough to match even the most elusive HN structures and to provide accurate dose warping. A voxel-based statistical analysis was then performed to test regional dosimetric differences between patients with and without RIAD. We identified a significantly higher dose delivered to RIAD patients in two voxel clusters in correspondence of the cricopharyngeus muscle and cervical esophagus. Our study goes beyond the well-established organ-based philosophy exploring the relationship between radiation-induced morbidity and local dose differences in the HN region. This approach is generally applicable to different HN toxicity endpoints and is not specific to RIAD.

Radiotherapy (RT) is very much a technology-driven treatment modality in the management of cancer. RT techniques have changed significantly over the past few decades, thanks to improvements in engineering and computing. We aim to highlight the recent developments in radiation oncology, focusing on the technological and biological advances. We will present state-of-the-art treatment techniques, employing photon beams, such as intensity-modulated RT, volumetric-modulated arc therapy, stereotactic body RT and adaptive RT, which make possible a highly tailored dose distribution with maximum normal tissue sparing. We will analyse all the steps involved in the treatment: imaging, delineation of the tumour and organs at risk, treatment planning and finally image-guidance for accurate tumour localisation before and during treatment delivery. Particular attention will be given to the crucial role that imaging plays throughout the entire process. In the case of adaptive RT, the precise identification of target volumes as well as the monitoring of tumour response/modification during the course of treatment is mainly based on multimodality imaging that integrates morphological, functional and metabolic information. Moreover, real-time imaging of the tumour is essential in breathing adaptive techniques to compensate for tumour motion due to respiration. Brief reference will be made to the recent spread of particle beam therapy, in particular to the use of protons, but also to the yet limited experience of using heavy particles such as carbon ions. Finally, we will analyse the latest biological advances in tumour targeting. Indeed, the effectiveness of RT has been improved not only by technological developments but also through the integration of radiobiological knowledge to produce more efficient and personalised treatment strategies.

Oligometastatic disease represents the proximal end of a metastatic spectrum. Metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) is increasingly used to treat oligometastatic disease despite the absence of level 1 evidence. We amalgamated individual patient data across trials to evaluate the effectiveness of MDT for oligometastatic prostate cancer. We conducted a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis. We systematically searched Embase, PubMed, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify randomised trials of MDT enrolling patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer. Inclusion criteria were published randomised prospective trials enrolling patients with oligometastatic (up to five metastases) prostate cancer, in which investigators recorded sufficient data to evaluate progression-free survival and overall survival. This systematic review was conducted from database creation to Nov 3, 2023, and was updated on May 4, 2025. Data appraisal was conducted using Covidence with two investigators (CT and ADS) performing independent screens. Studies were evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk-of-bias assessment (version 2.0). Individual patient data were provided by investigators. Coprimary endpoints were progression-free survival and overall survival. Secondary endpoints were radiographic progression-free survival and castration resistance-free survival. The primary analysis was conducted in the subset of studies in which patients were randomly assigned to MDT plus standard of care (SOC) versus SOC. The primary analysis included a trial-level analysis using a random effects model and a patient-level analysis stratifying by trial. This meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023479078). Of 2975 studies identified for screening, seven phase 2 studies randomly assigning 574 men were included. Six trials randomly assigning 472 patients to MDT plus SOC (n=248) versus SOC (n=224) were used to evaluate MDT and had a median follow-up time of 40·7 months (IQR 25·6–53·7). MDT was associated with improved progression-free survival (trial-level hazard ratio [HR] 0·44, [95% CI 0·35–0·56], p<0·0001; patient-level HR 0·45 [0·35–0·57], p<0·0001), radiographic progression-free survival (trial-level HR 0·60 [0·42–0·85], p=0·0039; patient-level HR 0·59 [0·46–0·76], p<0·0001), and castration resistance-free survival (trial-level HR 0·58 [95% CI 0·37–0·92], p=0·019; patient-level HR 0·58 [95% CI 0·37–0·91], p=0·017). The association between MDT and overall survival showed an HR of 0·63 (95% CI 0·39–1·00, p=0·051) in trial-level analyses and 0·64 (95% CI 0·40–1·01, p=0·057) in patient-level analyses. WOLVERINE showed a benefit with MDT for oligometastatic prostate cancer in progression-free survival, radiological progression-free survival, and castration resistance-free survival. Overall survival benefit was not significant and further research is needed. Philanthropic gift and National Cancer Institute.

Historically, non-seminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) has been considered a radio-resistant disease, excluding radiotherapy (RT) from curative strategies. However, case series exploring the use of radiation treatment in this setting are often outdated, and prospective ongoing studies testing new radiotherapeutic approaches in NSGCT are lacking. Considering that tremendous advances in radiotherapy technology have enabled improved precision in RT delivery as well as dose escalation while decreasing treatment-related morbidity, we overviewed the currently available literature to explore the radiobiological basis, the technical issues, and potential strategies for implementation of RT in the management of this clinical entity. The purpose of the present overview is to provide insight for future research in this unexplored scenario. In summary, the biological rationale for RT use and potential implementation with systemic therapies exist, especially considering the advantage of new technologies, which were unavailable in the era of early literature reports. The NSGCT radioresistance paradigm could be based only on the fact that effective treatment schedules were simply undeliverable with older RT techniques due to toxicity issues, but the availability of actual techniques may prompt further exploration to offer treatment alternatives to these patients. Ongoing trials on this issue are lacking, but potential areas of research are platinum-refractory disease and consolidation therapy for residual masses after PST.

Although systemic therapy represents the standard of care for polymetastatic kidney cancer, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) may play a relevant role in the oligometastatic setting. We conducted a multicenter study including oligometastatic kidney cancer treated with SBRT. We retrospectively analyzed 207 patients who underwent 245 SBRT treatments on 385 lesions, including 165 (42.9%) oligorecurrent (OR) and 220 (57.1%) oligoprogressive (OP) lesions. Most common sites were lung (30.9%) for OR group, and bone (32.7%) for OP group. Among 78 (31.8%) patients receiving concomitant systemic therapy, sunitinib (61.5%) and pazopanib (15.4%) were the most common for OR patients, while sunitinib (49.2%) and nivolumab (20.0%) for OP patients. End points were local control (LC), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), time to next systemic therapy (TTNS) and toxicity. Median follow-up was 18.6 months. 1, 2 and 3-year LC rates were 89.4%, 80.1% and 76.6% in OR patients, and 82.7%, 76.9% and 64.3% in those with OP, respectively. LC for OP group was influenced by clear cell histology (p = 0.000), total number of lesions (p = 0.004), systemic therapy during SBRT (p = 0.012), and SBRT dose (p = 0.012). Median PFS was 37.9 months. 1, 2- and 3-year OS was 92.7%, 86.4% and 81.8%, respectively. Median TTNS was 15.8 months for OR patients, and 13.9 months for OP patients. No grade 3 or higher toxicities were reported for both groups. SBRT may be considered an effective safe option in the multidisciplinary management of both OR and OP metastases from kidney cancer.

Background There is a substantial body of literature addressing the prevention, acute management, and follow-up care of radiation induced dermatitis (RID). The quality and application of this evidence, however, is inconsistent and its interpretation varies widely. While several national guidelines have been developed to standardise practices locally, many of these resources are not publicly available. On behalf of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) Radiation Therapist (RTT) Committee, an international writing group consisting of 12 experts from radiotherapy and two patient representatives composed a recommendation document for the management of RID. Main body The consensus for these recommendations was generated based on available international guidelines, and supplemented with evidence-based review articles on the topic. These recommendations focus on the prevention and practical management of early stage RID by avoiding skin trauma and maintaining hygiene. Addressing pain and inflammation in higher grades is also covered. The current literature refutes some of the traditional recommendations, especially restricting washing as well as the use of deodorant or the potential dose build-up of lotions which has been included and rectified in recent guidelines. In addition, the importance of grading the severity, including a baseline assessment is presented. The benefit of clear, and non-contradictory communication within the multidisciplinary team as well as patient involvement (e.g. PROMs or similar) is highlighted. Furthermore, the importance of recognising different skin types and skin tones, and the impact on how RID changes these in their appearance is stressed. Conclusion This document provides practical, actionable recommendations for the clinical management of RID, referencing the supporting literature. These recommendations have, however, identified a lack of high-level evidence, especially for agent-specific recommendations.

Although radiation therapy (RT) provides several therapeutic advantages in terms of cancer control and quality of life, it continues to be a poorly understood field by most students and health workers. Theoretical lessons are not sufficient, while practical exercitations are time-consuming, both in terms of man- and machine-hours. Furthermore, RT candidates often have several prejudices that may affect their treatment choices, favoring the more well-known surgical or chemotherapy approaches or resulting in a high level of anxiety during treatment. Moreover, the misperception of low treatment control and its related side effects could worsen the patients’ psychological distress, already brought by a cancer diagnosis. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) could be a valid instrument for promoting the awareness of radiation oncology as a discipline with its own identity and respect in the scientific community. The aim of the present work is to provide a glance at the recent developments in AR/VR to support students’ education, personnel training and patients’ empowerment in this clinical setting. The main findings of our work show that such technologies have already become a reality in many institutions worldwide and it has been shown to be an effective strategy for raising educational standards, improving health workers’ skills and promoting patients’ well-being and compliance. These results seem to promote the further implementation of AR/VR technologies and their development as a driving force of a much-hoped-for revolution in the way patients are treated and radiation oncology is taught.

PurposeTo test discontinuation rates during Active Surveillance (AS) in patients diagnosed with incidental prostate cancers (IPCa) vs. tumors diagnosed at prostate biopsies (BxPCa).MethodsRetrospective single center analysis of 961 vs. 121 BxPCa vs. IPCa patients (2008–2020). Kaplan–Meier plots and multivariable Cox regression models tested four different outcomes: (1) any-cause discontinuation; (2) discontinuation due to ISUP GG upgrading; (3) biopsy discontinuation due to ISUP GG upgrading or > 3 positive cores; (4) biopsy discontinuation or suspicious extraprostatic extension at surveillance mpMRI. Then, multivariable logistic regression models tested rates of clinically significant PCa (csPCa) (ISUP GG ≥ 3 or pT ≥ 3a or pN1) after radical prostatectomy (RP).ResultsMedian time follow-up was 35 (19–64) months. IPCa patients were at lower risk of any-cause (3-year survival: 79.3 vs. 66%; HR: 0.5, p = 0.001) and biopsy/MRI AS discontinuation (3-year survival: 82.3 vs. 72.7%; HR: 0.5, p = 0.001), compared to BxPCa patients. Conversely, IPCa patients exhibited same rates of biopsy discontinuation and ISUP GG upgrading over time, relative to BxPCa. In multivariable logistic regression models, IPCa patients were associated with higher rates of csPCa at RP (OR: 1.4, p = 0.03), relative to their BxPCa counterparts.ConclusionAS represents a safe management strategy for IPCa. Compared to BxPCa, IPCa patients are less prone to experience any-cause and biopsy/MRI AS discontinuation. However, the two mentioned groups present similar rates of biopsy discontinuation and ISUP GG upgrading over time. In consequence, tailored AS protocols with scheduled repeated surveillance biopsies should be offered to all newly diagnosed IPCa patients.