Radiat Oncol
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Brain metastases of gastrointestinal origin are a rare occurrence. Radiation therapy (RT) in the form of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is an effective established treatment modality in either the definitive or adjuvant setting. The aim of this study is to assess the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) brain metastases treated with SRS or WBRT. ⋯ Survival and intracranial disease control are poor following RT for brain metastases from GI primaries. In this small series, outcomes are worse than published series for other primary malignancies metastatic to the brain and further research into methods of local control improvement is warranted. Future studies should explore the utility of dose escalation or radiosensitization in this patient population.
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Our previous study suggested that some pulmonary artery (PA) dosimetric parameters were associated with mortality in unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with definitive radiotherapy. The present study aims to analyze the impact of both PA and heart dosimetric parameters on survival of patients with NSCLC treated with definitive conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) in another independent research center and further determine whether the PA should be considered a dose-limiting organ at risk (OAR) for patients receiving thoracic CFRT. ⋯ PA invasion grade and PA V40-55 appear associated with OS in patients with NSCLC treated with definitive CFRT. We propose that PA be considered as a dose-limiting OAR for such patients.