Radiation Oncology
Expert insights on radiation treatment planning, techniques, toxicity management, and multimodal cancer care.
Recent Discussions
Do you routinely obtain a biopsy of a presumed meningioma prior to SRS to confirm grade 1?
There is an emerging and growing body of data using various AI tools and radiomics analysis, as well as the incorporation of advanced imaging, that aim to improve the ability to predict the grade of meningioma. Most of this work remains "limited institution" in terms of applicability. In the current...
Given results of the RADICALS trials, is LT-ADT standard of care for salvage prostate RT?
I do not think long-term ADT is established as standard of care for salvage prostate radiation, as this would require a demonstration of improved overall survival in at least specific subgroups of patients. RADICALS-HD demonstrates improvement in freedom from metastasis as well as freedom from non-p...
In a patient with pancreatic carcinoid s/p resection with positive margins do you recommend surveillance or adjuvant therapy?
Well-diff and by small size (<1 cm), NCCN guidelines would have said watch this from the start, so certainly wouldn't recommend any adjuvant therapy at this time for positive margin resection. Margin status has been shown not to be associated with overall survival outcomes, particularly for low-grad...
How do you determine dose for prostate SBRT?
The Stanford experience published by King et al was an important one describing a prospective experience of SBRT at dose levels of 35-36.25 Gy, and these dose levels were used based upon prior single institution retrospective reports from community practice settings where a good deal of experience ...
For large AVMs that cannot meet the V12 dose constraint, how low are you willing to go in terms of single fraction dosing?
We usually use a “volume staging” approach by treating part of the AVM to 18-20 Gy in one fraction (meeting the V12 dose constraint), and return to treat the remaining nidus about 2 years later. Generally, most or all of the treated nidus has occluded by then. There will, of course, be some dose ove...
Given the FAST and FAST-Forward trial data, can we consider those ultra-hypofractionated whole breast radiation schemes to be standard of care for early-stage breast cancer?
With respect to FAST (28.5 Gy in 5 fx over 5 weeks), it can be considered based on 10-year data. Local control rates were low in all arms, but in general, I limit this to patients who can't do standard hypofractionated WBI (40/15).FAST-Forward now has 10-year outcomes and can be considered for appro...
How would you treat an elderly patient with stage I/II unfavorable classic Hodgkin Lymphoma, who could only tolerate 2 cycles of chemotherapy and has a Deauville 1-2 PET/CT re-staging scan?
Assuming a patient is responding favorably to therapy by PET/CT, there are 5 regimens that are supported by randomized trials and included in national guidelines: Chemotherapy-alone regimens ABVD x 2 + AVD x 4 (RATHL) BrECADD x 4 (HD21) Combined modality therapy regimens ABVD x 4 + RT (30 Gy) (H1...
When practicing cervical brachytherapy with both intracavitary and interstitial approaches, do you obtain an MRI with each fraction of HDR BT?
Yes, we do obtain an MRI for every fraction. We are fortunate enough to have an MRI near the brachytherapy suite. Sometimes, though, if the patient has a small tumor and we're performing only intracavitary brachytherapy, then we do not do an MRI for every fraction, but typically do that for the firs...
When should surgical tumor resection be considered in patients with a low-grade glioma?
In adults with low-grade gliomas, there is substantial evidence suggesting that aggressive, early surgical resection improves outcomes and survival (Jakola et al., PMID 23099483). Historically, this has been particularly true for tumors that carry an IDH mutation or 1p/19q codeletion. This survival ...
In a patient with metastatic pancreatic cancer with diffuse liver metastases, would you consider whole-liver radiation to lower bilirubin so that they are daraxonrasib eligible?
I think it is an interesting idea. However, I would not expect the TB to decline after RT. Stable, maybe, but not a decline. If TB is rising, that is from parenchymal destruction, and radiation will not reverse it. If obstructive, only stenting would make sense.