Objective:To assess the long-term follow-up results of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showing macrovascular invasion (MVI).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted for 63 patients with HCC showing MVI without distant metastasis treated in Peking University Cancer Hospital from October 2015 to October 2018. Among them 28 patients were treated with IMRT combined with TACE and sorafenib (Group A) and 35 patients were treated with IMRT combined with TACE (Group B). Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to assess the progression-free survival (PFS) and the overall survival (OS) of both groups.Results:The median follow-up time was 62 months. Before PSM, the median OS of group A and B were 19.0 months and 15.2 months ( χ2=3.15, P=0.076), respectively, and the median PFS of groups A (10.7 months) was longer than that of group B (8.6 months; χ2=3.99, P=0.046). After PSM, the median OS of group A (30.6 months) was significantly longer than that of group B (15.2 months; χ2=5.34, P=0.023), and the PFS of groups A (12.5 months) was still longer than that of group B (8.3 months; χ2=4.79, P=0.026). In the whole group, 10 patients (15.9%) suffered from grade-3 hematologic toxicity, and seven patients (11.1%) experienced grade-3 hepatic toxicity. The incidence of skin reactions, hand-foot syndrome, and diarrhea in group A was higher than that in group B, but all these adverse events were grade 1-2. Moreover, no grade-4 adverse events, radiation-induced liver disease, and treatment-related mortality occurred in both groups. Conclusions:As demonstrated by the long-term follow-up result, IMRT combined with TACE and TKI could improve both the PFS and the OS of patients with HCC showing MVI after PSM.

Objective To explore the value of MRI simulation in the pre-operative radiotherapy for locally advanced low rectal carcinoma.Methods A total of 40 patients diagnosed with locally advanced low rectal carcinoma by endoscopic biopsy and radiological staging examinations were included in this study.There were 22 male and 18 female with nedian age 58 years (range 31-80).Patients underwent CT and MRI simulation scanning in the same position and fixing device.GTV under CT images and MRI inages were delineated respectively by two experienced radiologists.Primary tumor length,tumor volume and distance of distal tumor from the anal verge were calculated by treatment planning system(TPS).The two groups of data were compared.Results The distance of distal tumor to the anal verge were all no more than 5 cm on digital examination.The mean length of GTVcT was remarkably longer than that of GTVMRI [(5.21 ±1.65) cm vs.(4.46 ± 1.51) cm,t =5.059,P ＜0.05].The mean volume of GTVcTWaS significantly larger than that of GTVMRI[(55.71 ±31.57) cm3vs.(44.02 ±25.11) cm3,t=6.977,P＜ 0.05)].The mean distance of distal tumor to the anal verge was (3.72 ± 0.93) cm,significantly longer than that of lower bounds of GTVCT to the anal verge,which had a high consistency with GTVMRI.The IMRT plan was based on CT-MRI fusion images.There were no 3-4 grade adverse effects of radiotherapy.The overall pCR rate was 32.5％.Conclusions MRI simulation could define smaller GTV and more precise lower bounds than CT.With improved accuracy of target volumes contours,the application of MRI simulation may promote the efficacy of radiotherapy and result in a reduction in the incidence of toxicities.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy for anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) in the era of intensity-modulated radiotherapy.Methods A total of 19 patients with ASCC who underwent definitive radiotherapy in our hospital since 2011 were collected.The survival curves were depicted with K-M method.Risk factors of disease progression were analyzed using case-control study.Results The median follow-up time was 31 months.The 3 year-LFS and 3 year-OS were 88.1％ and 91.7％,respectively.Grade 3 acute toxicities during the chemoradiotherapy were mainly white blood cell reduction (15.8％),platelet reduction (10.5％),diarrhea (15.8％),and skin reaction (31.6％).Compared with historical data,volumetric intensity modulated arc therapy was superior to conventional radiotherapy in the treatment outcome and normal tissue protection in ASCC.Univariate analysis showed that concurrent chemotherapy with capecitabine was a favorable factor in disease progression (P＜ 0.05).Conclusions Volumetric intensity modulated arc therapy for ASCC may have advantages in terms of efficacy and normal tissue protection.Concurrent chemotherapy with a double-drug regimen containing capecitabine may be a beneficial factor in disease progression.

Microscopic extension (subclinical lesion) is the key factor for defining clinical target volume in radiotherapy. In this article, the research progresses on microscopic extension or extracapsular extension in esophageal cancer, lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, rectal cancer, breast cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer and metastatic lymph nodes were reviewed. These results provide important basis for the definition of clinical target volume. However, a series of questions remain to be properly resolved.

In China, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are usually with late stage and long medical history when diagnosed, resulting in a lower 5-year survival rate. For advanced HCC, guidelines from different countries have different indications for local treatment. The applica-tion of hepatic artery chemoembolization has brought new treatment opportunities to patients with advanced HCC. Due to tumor heterogeneity, the response to immunotherapy is different in patients with intrahepatic recurrent lesions and extrahepatic metastatic lesions of primary hepatic carcinoma. Therefore, hepatic artery chemoembolization combined with systemic treatment is beneficial to prolong the survival of patients. The authors introduce the clinical experience of a patient with recurrent advanced HCC combined with abdominal lymph node metastasis who was treated with hepatic artery chemoembolization combined with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab. The results show that tumor is controlled in a short period with a good clinical effect.

Objective To review the failure patterns and clinical outcomes for patients with cervical esophageal carcinoma (CEC) undergoing definitive radiotherapy (RT).Methods Medical records,clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with CEC treated by definitive RT from August 2008 to May 2017 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.Results A total of 97 patients with squamous cell CEC were enrolled in this study with a median age of 59 years old (range 18-78 years old).There were 34 patients with limited cervical esophagus,and 63 patients with diseases beyond cervical region,respectively.There were 69,7,and 6 patients with Bronchi invasion,thyroid lobes involvement and aortic involvement,respectively.There were 11,80 and 6 patients with stage Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ (non-regional lymph node metastases),respectively.The median dose to the gross tumor volume (GTV) was 66 Gy,in which 46 patients received above 66 Gy and 51 patients received less than 66 Gy,respectively.The median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 16.03 and 23.30 months,respectively,with a median follow-up of 14.90 months.The 1,2,3-year PFS and OS were 56.86％,30.35％,26.34％,and 72.54％,47.94％,40.81％,respectively.Sixty-one patients had treatment failure at their last follow-up,in which 40,27,and 18 patients developed local failure,regional failure,and distant metastasis,respectively.Univariate analysis revealed that thyroid lobes involvement resulted in lower PFS (x2 =5.773,P＜0.05) and OS (x2 =13.461,P＜0.05),and bronchi involvement (x2 =4.283,P＜0.05) was associated with lower OS.Multivariate analysis indicated that aortic involvement and thyroid lobes involvement were associated with lower PFS (x2 =6.796,4.548,P＜0.05) and OS (x2 =13.421,10.581,P＜0.05),and GTV dose above 66 Gy was associated with higher OS (x2=5.296,P＜0.05).Conclusions Local-regional recurrence was the main failure pattern for patients with CEC after definitive RT.Aortic,thyroid lobes,and/or bronchi involvement were associated with poor prognosis,and GTV dose ≥66 Gy tended to improve OS.Prospective studies with larger population were needed to further confirm this study.

Objective:To analyze the effectiveness and safety of the second course radiotherapy for unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases.Methods:We retrospectively collected the data of 28 patients with unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases who received the second course radiotherapy at Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute from 2017 to 2023, to analyze the feasibility of re-irradiation.Results:For the 28 patients, the median follow-up time after re-irradiation was 20.2 months. The median time interval between the first- and second-course radiotherapy was 11.1 months. The median biologically effective doses of the first- and second-course radiotherapy were 100 Gy and 96 Gy, respectively. Stereotactic body radiotherapy was administered to 25 patients (89.3%) during the first course and 24 patients (85.7%) during the second course of radiotherapy. The mean equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions to the normal liver was 10.1 Gy in the first-course radiotherapy and 7.9 Gy in the second-course radiotherapy. The complete response rate, partial response rate, and objective response rate after re-irradiation were 54.5%, 18.2%, and 72.7%, respectively. After re-irradiation, the 2-year cumulative local failure rate was 17.0% when calculated based on patients and 15.1% when calculated based on lesions, the 1-year progression-free survival rate was 27.4%, and the 3-year overall survival rate was 46.7%. The second-course radiotherapy was well tolerated, with most patients (75.0%) experiencing grade 1-2 acute adverse reactions and only one case (3.6%) experiencing grade 3 acute adverse events.Conclusions:Second course radiotherapy is an effective and safe treatment approach for selected patients with unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases.