A surveillance study of patterns of reirradiation practice using external beam radiotherapy in Japan

Management of reirradiations: A clinical and technical overview based on a French survey

INTRODUCTION

The reirradiation number increased due to systemic therapies and patient survival. Few guidelines regarding acceptable cumulative doses to organs at risk (OARs) and appropriate dose accumulation tools need, made reirradiation challenging. The survey objective was to present the French current technical and clinical practices in reirradiations.

METHODS

A group of physician and physicists developed a survey gathering major issues of the topic. The questionnaire consisted in 4 parts: data collection, demographic, clinical and technical aspects. It was delivered through the SFRO and the SFPM. Data collection lasted 2 months and were gathered to compute statistical analysis.

RESULTS

48 institutions answered the survey. Difficulties about patient data collection were related to patient safety, administrative and technical limitations. Half of the institutions discussed reirradiation cases during a multidisciplinary meeting. It mainly aimed at discussing the indication and the new treatment total dose (92%). 79% of the respondents used various references but only 6% of them were specific to reirradiations. Patients with pain and clinical deficit were ranked as best inclusion criteria. 54.2% of the institutions considered OARs recovery, especially for spinal cord and brainstem. A commercial software was used for dose accumulation for 52% of respondents. Almost all institutions performed equivalent dose conversion (94%). A quarter of the institutions estimated not to have the appropriate equipment for reirradiation.

CONCLUSION

This survey showed the various approaches and tools used in reirradiation management. It highlighted issues in collecting data, and the guidelines necessity for safe practices, to increase clinicians confidence in retreating patients.

Reirradiation for Rare Head and Neck Cancers: Orbit, Auditory Organ, and Salivary Glands

We analyzed the efficacy and toxicity following reirradiation for locoregional recurrence of rare head and neck tumors. We retrospectively analyzed 17 patients who had received reirradiation for rare head and neck tumors. Primary tumor sites included nine ears (auditory organ), four salivary glands, and four orbits. The median follow-up time was 13.2 months for surviving patients. The median survival time was 12.6 months with one- and two-year survival rates of 53.1% and 44.3%, respectively. Nine out of 17 patients experienced local failure. The one- and two-year local control rates were 42.4% and 31.8%, respectively. The median survival times were 12.6, 5.3, and 11.0 months for orbit, auditory organ, and salivary glands, respectively. Three patients experienced grade 3 toxicity, including meningitis, brain necrosis, and facial nerve disorders. No grade ≥4 toxicities were observed. Reirradiation of rare head and neck tumors is feasible, with acceptable toxicity.

Reirradiation for Nasal Cavity or Paranasal Sinus Tumor-A Multi-Institutional Study

We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of reirradiation of nasal cavity or paranasal sinus tumors. We collected and analyzed multi-institutional data of reirradiation cases. Seventy-eight patients with nasal or paranasal sinus tumors underwent reirradiation. The median survival time was 20 months with a medial follow-up of 10.7 months. The 2-year local control and overall survival rates were 43% and 44%, respectively. Tumor volume (≤25 cm³), duration between previous radiotherapy and reirradiation (≤12 months), histology (squamous cell carcinoma), male sex, and lymph node involvement were predisposing factors for poor survival. Distant metastasis was observed in 20 patients (25.6%). Grade ≥ 3 adverse events were observed in 22% of the patients, including five grade 4 (8.6%) cases and one grade 5 (1.2%) case. Tumor location adjacent to the optic pathway was a significant predisposing factor for grade ≥3 visual toxicity. Reirradiation of nasal and paranasal sinus tumors is feasible and effective. However, adverse events, including disease-related toxicities, were significant. Prognostic factors emerge from this study to guide multidisciplinary approaches and clinical trial designs.