Holtzman, Adam L.

AbstractBackgroundPediatric 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).ProcedureUsing 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.ResultsFifteen consecutive patients (median age 16) comprising Kadish stage B (n = 2), C (n = 9), and D (n = 4) tumors were assessed, including six with intracranial involvement, four with cranial nerve deficits, and four with cervical lymphadenopathy. Before radiation, two had subtotal and 13 had gross total resections (endoscopic or craniofacial). Two underwent neck dissection. Eleven received chemotherapy before radiation (n = 5), concurrent with radiation (n = 4), or both (n = 2). Median total radiation dose (primary site) was 66 Gy/CGE for gross disease and 54 Gy/CGE (cobalt Gray equivalent) for microscopic disease. Median follow‐up was 4.8 years. No patients were lost to follow‐up. Five‐year disease‐free and overall survival rates were 86% (no local or regional recurrences). Two patients developed vertebral metastases and died. Two required a temporary feeding tube for oral mucositis/dysphagia. Late toxicities included symptomatic retinopathy, major reconstructive surgery, cataracts, chronic otitis media, chronic keratoconjunctivitis, hypothyroidism, and in‐field basal cell skin cancer.ConclusionsA multimodality approach for pediatric EN results in excellent local control. Despite the moderate‐dose PT, serious radiation toxicity was observed; further dose and target volume reductions may benefit select patients. Longer follow‐up and comparative data from modern photon series are necessary to fully characterize any relative PT advantage.

Skull-base chordoma and chondrosarcoma are rare radioresistant tumors treated with surgical resection and/or radiotherapy. Because of the established dosimetric and biological benefits of heavy particle therapy, we performed a systematic and evidence-based review of the clinical outcomes of patients with skull-base chordoma and chondrosarcoma treated with carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT). A literature review was performed using a MEDLINE search of all articles to date. We identified 227 studies as appropriate for review, and 24 were ultimately included. The published data illustrate that CIRT provides benchmark disease control outcomes for skull-base chordoma and chondrosarcoma, respectively, with acceptable toxicity. CIRT is an advanced treatment technique that may provide not only dosimetric benefits over conventional photon therapy but also biologic intensification to overcome mechanisms of radioresistance. Ongoing research is needed to define the magnitude of benefit, patient selection, and cost-effectiveness of CIRT compared to other forms of radiotherapy.

Abstract Background Sinonasal neoplasms, whether benign and malignant, pose a significant challenge to clinicians and represent a model area for multidisciplinary collaboration in order to optimize patient care. The International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Sinonasal Tumors (ICSNT) aims to summarize the best available evidence and presents 48 thematic and histopathology‐based topics spanning the field. Methods In accordance with prior International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology documents, ICSNT assigned each topic as an Evidence‐Based Review with Recommendations, Evidence‐Based Review, and Literature Review based on the level of evidence. An international group of multidisciplinary author teams were assembled for the topic reviews using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses format, and completed sections underwent a thorough and iterative consensus‐building process. The final document underwent rigorous synthesis and review prior to publication. Results The ICSNT document consists of four major sections: general principles, benign neoplasms and lesions, malignant neoplasms, and quality of life and surveillance. It covers 48 conceptual and/or histopathology‐based topics relevant to sinonasal neoplasms and masses. Topics with a high level of evidence provided specific recommendations, while other areas summarized the current state of evidence. A final section highlights research opportunities and future directions, contributing to advancing knowledge and community intervention. Conclusion As an embodiment of the multidisciplinary and collaborative model of care in sinonasal neoplasms and masses, ICSNT was designed as a comprehensive, international, and multidisciplinary collaborative endeavor. Its primary objective is to summarize the existing evidence in the field of sinonasal neoplasms and masses.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-derived synthetic CTs to monitor the daily dose and trigger a plan review for adaptive proton therapy (APT) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Methods: For 84 HNC patients treated with proton pencil-beam scanning (PBS), same-day CBCT and verification CT (vfCT) pairs were retrospectively collected. The ground truth CT (gtCT) was created by deforming the vfCT to the same-day CBCT, and it was then used as a dosimetric baseline and for establishing plan review trigger recommendations. Two different synthetic CT algorithms were tested; the corrected CBCT (corrCBCT) was created using an iterative image correction method and the virtual CT (virtCT) was created by deforming the planning CT to the CBCT, followed by a low-density masking process. Clinical treatment plans were recalculated on the image sets for evaluation. Results: Plan review trigger criteria for adaptive therapy were established after closely reviewing the cohort data. Compared to the vfCT, the corrCBCT and virtCT reliably produced dosimetric data more similar to the gtCT. The average discrepancy in D99 for high-risk clinical target volumes (CTV) was 1.1%, 0.7%, and 0.4% and for standard-risk CTVs was 1.8%, 0.5%, and 0.5% for the vfCT, corrCBCT, and virtCT, respectively. Conclusion: Streamlined APT has been achieved with the proposed plan review criteria and CBCT-based synthetic CT workflow.