Association Between Brain Substructure Dose and Scholastic Performance in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors Who Received Radiation Therapy.

Purpose: Radiation therapy may cause cognitive deficits in pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS). Scholastic data provide prediagnostic measurements, is practical for patients and families, and aligns with student learning before and after treatment. We evaluated the association between radiation dose to organs at risk (OARs) and scholastic achievement in PBTS.

Comparison of Contemporary Radiation Therapy Approaches in Combined Modality Treatment on Pediatric High-Risk Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma Study: AHOD 1331.

Purpose: AHOD 1331 was a clinical trial investigating brentuximab vedotin in conjunction with chemotherapy and response adapted radiation therapy (RT) in pediatric patients with high-risk classic Hodgkin lymphoma. RT was delivered using 3-dimensional conformal RT (3D-CRT), intensity modulated RT (IMRT), or proton therapy. This analysis evaluated dosimetric and clinical outcomes for patients treated across these different RT modalities.

Curative Treatment of Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma With Doxorubicin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, and Dacarbazine and Consolidation Radiotherapy: A Systematic Review and Suggested Recommendations.

Purpose: Doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy is used commonly for pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma (pHL) in low- and middle-income countries. The role of radiotherapy (RT) after ABVD in pHL is uncertain.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a systematic review to explore the use of ABVD with or without RT in pHL.

Assessment of Approaches Promoting Virtual Radiation Oncology Educational Content to Medical Students.

Purpose: Virtual learning in radiation oncology (RO) has potential to reach medical students who otherwise lack access to RO exposure or mentorship at their school. This study characterized the relative effectiveness of different methods of promoting virtual education content, to inform future efforts to expand access to RO education.

Methods And Materials: A 4-part "Oncology Virtual Series for Medical Students" was developed to emulate an oncology interest group (OIG).

Long-Term Outcomes Following Radiotherapy for Pediatric Salivary Gland Tumors.

Background: In contrast to adult salivary gland tumors, our institutional guidelines utilize lower radiation doses, smaller target margins, and proton therapy (PT) to minimize radiation to children's developing skull base anatomy. Herein, we report outcomes of our pediatric management approach.

Procedures: We identified 31 pediatric patients with salivary gland tumors treated with PT at our institution between 2006 and 2023.

Evaluating Scholastic Achievement in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors Compared With Healthy Controls.

Purpose: Radiation therapy (RT) causes cognitive deficits in pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS). Traditionally, this is measured using neuropsychological testing, which lack prediagnosis baseline and do not necessarily trigger action. This pilot project investigated a novel patient-centered outcome of scholastic performance using state-collected educational data.

Effects on Lung Tissue After Breast Cancer Radiation: Comparing Photon and Proton Therapies.

Purpose: In breast cancer, improved treatment approaches that reduce injury to lung tissue and early diagnosis and intervention for lung toxicity are increasingly important in survivorship. The aims of this study are to (1) compare lung tissue radiographic changes in women treated with conventional photon radiation therapy and those treated with proton therapy (PT), (2) assess the volume of lung irradiated to 5 Gy (V5) and 20 Gy (V20) by treatment modality, and (3) quantify the effects of V5, V20, time, and smoking history on the severity of tissue radiographic changes.

Patients And Methods: A prospective observational study of female breast cancer patients was conducted to monitor postradiation subclinical lung tissue radiographic changes.

Consolidative Proton Radiotherapy for Pediatric Extramedullary Ocular Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Purpose: Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often involves extramedullary sites, which can be resistant to standard induction chemotherapy. Consolidative radiation therapy can be used in select cases to improve local control rates and help bridge patients to curative stem cell transplants. However, there is no previously published data to support the use of proton radiotherapy (PT) in this setting.

Proton Therapy in the Treatment of Men with Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Male breast cancer treatment involves multimodality therapy, including radiation therapy; nevertheless, few men have received proton therapy (PT) for it. Further, heart disease is an established leading cause of death in men, and radiation therapy heart dose correlates with cardiac toxicity, highlighting the need for cardiac-sparing radiation techniques. Thus, we provide a descriptive analysis of PT in a male breast cancer cohort.

Outcomes following proton therapy for pediatric esthesioneuroblastoma.

Background: Pediatric esthesioneuroblastoma (EN) can infiltrate skull base anatomy, presenting challenges due to high radiation doses and pediatric tissue sensitivity. This study reports outcomes of pediatric EN treated with proton radiotherapy (PT).

Procedure: Using an IRB-approved prospective outcomes registry, we evaluated patient, tumor, and treatment-related variables impacting disease control and toxicity in pediatric nonmetastatic EN treated with modern multimodality therapy, including PT.

Racial and Ethnic Demographic Reporting in Phase 2 Proton Therapy Clinical Trials: A Review.

Purpose: Equitable inclusion of racial and ethnic participation in clinical trials is crucial to improving disparities in health care, especially for historically marginalized populations. Our study aims to describe the racial and ethnic demographics of patients enrolled in published phase 2 clinical trials involving proton therapy in the United States.

Materials And Methods: Published manuscripts were identified in PubMed, Embase, World of Science, and Cochrane.

Disparities in pediatric cancer survivorship care: A systematic review.

Background: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) experience many long-term health problems that can be mitigated with recommended survivorship care. However, many CCS do not have access to survivorship care nor receive recommended survivorship care. We reviewed the empirical evidence of disparities in survivorship care for CCS.

Analysis of the Pediatric Radiotherapy Landscape in Mexico and a Subsequent Educational e-Contouring Intervention.

Purpose: Mexico and Central America have the highest childhood cancer incidence in the West. Pediatric-specific oncology knowledge contributes to the disparity. We sought to (1) determine the self-identified treatment patterns and needs of Mexican pediatric radiation oncologists and (2) pilot a workshop to improve contouring accuracy.

Palliative care utilization and racial and ethnic disparities among women with de novo metastatic breast cancer in the United States.

Purpose: The potential disparities in palliative care delivery for underrepresented minorities with breast cancer are not well known. We sought to determine whether race and ethnicity impact the receipt of palliative care for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the National Cancer Database for female patients diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer between 2010 and 2017 who received palliative care following diagnosis of MBC to assess the proportion of patients who received palliative care, including non-curative-intent local-regional or systemic therapy.

Proton Therapy for Bilateral Breast Cancer Maximizes Normal-Tissue Sparing.

Purpose: Treatment for bilateral breast cancer with radiation therapy is technically challenging. We evaluated the clinical and dosimetric outcomes of a small series of patients with synchronous bilateral breast cancer, including a photon dosimetric comparison, to identify optimal treatment planning approaches.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed a registry of patients (simultaneously) diagnosed with synchronous bilateral breast cancers who underwent postoperative definitive adjuvant proton therapy at our institution between 2012 and 2021.

Incidence of Rib Fracture following Treatment with Proton Therapy for Breast Cancer.

Purpose: To determine the rib fracture rate in a cohort of patients with breast cancer treated with proton therapy.

Patient And Methods: From a prospective database, we identified 225 patients treated with proton therapy between 2012 and 2020 (223 women; 2 men). Clinical and dosimetric data were extracted, the cumulative incidence method assessed rib fracture rate, and Fine-Gray tests assessed prognostic significance of select variables.

Radiation Therapy Use in Refractory and Relapsed Adolescent and Young Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Report from the Children's Oncology Group.

Purpose:: Clear indications do not exist for consolidative radiotherapy (CRT) in relapsed and refractory pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma (rrpHL). Increasing numbers of rrpHL patients are radiation naïve, as response-adapted front-line therapies omit CRT for favorable responses. We evaluated practice patterns among treating oncologists for rrpHL.

Proton Radiation Therapy After Chemotherapy in the Management of Aggressive Mediastinal Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas: A Particle Therapy Cooperative Group Lymphoma Subcommittee Collaboration.

Purpose: Combined modality therapy with multiagent chemotherapy and radiation therapy is a standard treatment option for aggressive mediastinal non-Hodgkin lymphomas (AMNHLs); however, concerns regarding acute and late radiation toxicities have fueled an effort to use systemic therapy alone. The use of proton therapy (PT) is a promising treatment option, but there are still limited data regarding clinical outcomes with this treatment modality. In this Particle Therapy Cooperative Group lymphoma subcommittee collaboration, we report outcomes of patients with AMNHL treated with pencil-beam scanning PT or double-scatter PT after chemotherapy.