Radiotherapy

Men with prostate cancer who sought treatment at a multidisciplinary clinic appeared more likely to receive advice about treatment choices and care supported by evidence-based guidelines, according to study results published in Cancer.

A substantial proportion of patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma demonstrated long-term responses to vismodegib after discontinuation of the drug, according to results of a retrospective study published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

A 14-year-old patient with no significant past medical history presented with a 2-year history of a left arm mass. On exam, the patient was neurovascularly intact with full strength and intact sensation throughout her left upper extremity. There was a firm, semi-mobile mass located over the dorsal ulnar left forearm. The mass had a negative Tinel’s sign, and she had no palpable lymph nodes. MRI showed a heterogeneous mass on the dorsal ulnar left forearm, with indeterminate features, that was closely associated with the radius (Figure 1). Biopsy was consistent with low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma. CT of the chest was negative for metastatic disease. Wide resection was planned without radiotherapy secondary to the patient’s age. In anticipation of the need for soft tissue and potential bony reconstruction, a CT angiogram of the bilateral lower extremities was obtained (Figure 2). Despite the patient having palpable dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses, the angiogram revealed absence of the bilateral posterior tibial arteries.

Pembrolizumab plus radiotherapy appeared safe and demonstrated encouraging clinical activity among a small cohort of women with poor-prognosis, metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, according to results of a phase 2 trial published in Cancer.

A newly developed clinico-genomic classifier identified which women with early-stage breast cancer would benefit substantially from adjuvant radiotherapy as well as those with an elevated risk for locoregional recurrence, according to study results published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Patients who underwent definitive local treatment of one to three melanoma brain metastases did not attain significant clinical benefit from adjuvant whole-brain radiotherapy, according to results of a randomized phase 3 trial published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

LAS VEGAS — Use of radiotherapy in patients with soft tissue sarcoma of the hand was not associated with worse functional outcomes compared with patients who did not receive radiotherapy, according to results presented here.

Ultra-hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy did not appear to increase acute toxicity compared with conventionally fractionated therapy among men with localized prostate cancer, according to results of a randomized phase 3 noninferiority trial published in The Lancet Oncology.

Light therapy appeared to be an effective intervention for the prevention of painful oral mucositis associated with cancer treatment, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Lesion reduction was sustained and visual function improved in eyes treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for cavernous venous malformation of the orbital apex.