Outcomes and predictive factors after second stereotactic radiosurgery for refractory trigeminal neuralgia.

Unlabelled: ObjectivesThis study evaluates the safety and efficacy of Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery (GKSRS) retreatment (T2) for recurrent or refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN) following an initial SRS treatment (T1).

Methods: We analyzed 53 patients who underwent T2 between 2012 and 2018 using a prospectively maintained single institution database. Baseline characteristics, treatment details, and toxicity data were assessed, with pain responses evaluated via Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity scores.

Optimizing posterior neck coverage in regional nodal irradiation for breast cancer.

Patterns-of-failure studies suggest the posterior neck (PN) may harbor microscopic disease in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. We compared target coverage, lung dosimetry, and toxicity in patients treated with either an anterior oblique field (AO) or opposed oblique fields (OO) to address the superior axillary and supraclavicular (SCV) nodal regions. We identified 109 patients treated at a single institution with regional nodal irradiation utilizing a mono-isocentric technique with a "third field" for superior axillary and SCV coverage.

Leveraging technology and standardized institutional practices to mitigate disparities in breast cancer radiation therapy.

Objectives: Disparities in various dimensions, including racial, in breast cancer treatment and outcomes are well established. A recent multi-institutional study reported a higher mean heart dose (MHD) in Black and minority women compared to White women who underwent left-sided breast/chest wall irradiation which translated into excess cardiac events and mortality. We evaluated the MHD of women treated in our institution and investigated whether institution-wide measures including the use of readily available but inconsistently adopted technologies can mitigate this disparity.

Patient engagement in radiation oncology: a large retrospective study of survey response dynamics.

Purpose: Patient satisfaction surveys are pivotal in evaluating healthcare quality and enhancing patient care. Understanding the factors influencing patient engagement with these surveys in radiation oncology can guide improvements in patient-centered care.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from radiation oncology patients at a large multi-site single-institution center from May 2021 to January 2024.

Rotationally Intensified Proton Lattice: A Novel Lattice Technique Using Spot-Scanning Proton Arc Therapy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility and dosimetric advantage of using spot-scanning proton arc (SPArc) for lattice radiation therapy in comparison with volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) lattice techniques.

Methods: Lattice plans were retrospectively generated for 14 large tumors across the abdomen, pelvis, lung, and head-and-neck sites using VMAT, IMPT, and SPArc techniques. Lattice geometries comprised vertices 1.

Socioeconomic disadvantage and its impact on patient satisfaction at a multi-site radiation oncology center.

Purpose: Despite the importance of patient satisfaction (PS) on healthcare outcomes, the factors that influence PS in radiation oncology remain unexplored. This study assesses the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on PS in radiation oncology, using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) as a measure of SES.

Methods: This single-institution cross-sectional study used the National Research Council (NRC) PS survey at four radiation oncology sites from 2021 to 2023.

Breast Conservation Therapy for Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Breast in an Elderly Woman: A Case Report.

This case report details a rare instance of primary squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) of the breast in an octogenarian, emphasizing the unique diagnostic and treatment challenges posed by this malignancy in an elderly patient and adding to the scientific literature on PSCC managed with breast conservation therapy (BCT). An 80-year-old woman with medical comorbidities presented with a focal asymmetry in the right breast's retroareolar plane, detected during routine screening mammography. Diagnostic evaluations raised high suspicion for malignancy, confirmed as PSCC by ultrasound-guided biopsy.

Radiation Therapy in the Management of Extensive Giant Condyloma Acuminata With Rectal Involvement: A Case Report.

Giant condyloma acuminata (GCA) is a rare, locally aggressive manifestation of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, typically affecting the anorectal area. Patients with GCA often have a poor prognosis due to the high risk of malignant transformation. In this case report, we present a 39-year-old man with HIV who developed progressive and refractory anorectal GCA.

Newly Diagnosed Mental Health Disorders in Patients With Breast Cancer Receiving Radiation Therapy.

Purpose: Patients with a mental health disorder (MHD) have higher age-adjusted mortality compared with the general population. Few reports investigate factors contributing to MHD among patients with breast cancer receiving radiation therapy. We report the incidence of acquired MHD after the diagnosis of breast cancer and treatment with radiation therapy.

Treatment of a Non-syndromic Carotid Body Paraganglioma Using Fast Neutron Radiotherapy: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Non-syndromic carotid body paragangliomas (CBPs) are the most common head and neck CBPs. Malignant transformation or symptomatic presentation is rare, but patients may occasionally endorse tinnitus, cranial nerve (CN) deficits, and ear pulsations. Historically, treatment of CBP was primarily through surgical intervention, which predisposed patients to CN deficits and significant blood loss due to the neurovascular structures in close proximity to these tumors.

Lipoprotein Lipase Regulates Microglial Lipid Droplet Accumulation.

Microglia become increasingly dysfunctional with aging and contribute to the onset of neurodegenerative disease (NDs) through defective phagocytosis, attenuated cholesterol efflux, and excessive secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Dysfunctional microglia also accumulate lipid droplets (LDs); however, the mechanism underlying increased LD load is unknown. We have previously shown that microglia lacking lipoprotein lipase (LPL KD) are polarized to a pro-inflammatory state and have impaired lipid uptake and reduced fatty acid oxidation (FAO).

Lipid and Lipoprotein Metabolism in Microglia.

Microglia, once viewed as static bystanders with limited homeostatic functions, are now considered key players in the development of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Microglial activation is a salient feature of neuroinflammation involving a dynamic process that generates multitudinous microglial phenotypes that can respond to a variety of situational cues in the central nervous system. Recently, a flurry of single cell RNA-sequencing studies have defined microglial phenotypes in unprecedented detail, and have highlighted robust changes in the expression of genes involved in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism.