分段调强技术在颈部肿瘤放疗中的应用价值

目的观察颈部肿瘤体积缩小及消瘦等因素导致的颈部组织结构的空间位移及放射剂量曲线覆盖靶区的变化。方法选取2017年1月~2018年3月期间我院收治的头颈部肿瘤分段调强放疗的50例患者,所有患者均需照射颈部肿瘤。研究患者首次CT定位图像及再次定位CT图像中颈部组织结构(包括肿瘤病灶)的空间位移及剂量曲线覆盖靶区的变化。结果第二阶段放疗计划的目标靶区界线相比与第一阶段放疗计划,在三维空间X、Y、Z轴位方向上移动度各不相同,X轴及Y轴方向上差异较为显著(P0.05),而Z轴方向上差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论实施分段调强放疗技术在治疗颈部肿瘤放疗中具有重要价值,为优化颈部肿瘤病灶的调强放疗技术提供依据,为临床医生对颈部肿瘤治疗时靶区的勾画提供具有更现实意义的参考依据。     

1例192Ir源致外照射轻度骨髓型急性放射病的临床观察与随访

目的 对2005年哈尔滨"7.13"¹⁹²Ir源放射事故受照者1例进行临床观察与12年的医学随访，探讨外照射轻度骨髓型急性放射病的临床治疗及远后效应。方法 详细采集患者病史，收集临床资料，从血液系统改变、心理健康等方面进行总结，评价治疗效果，观察远后效应。结果 早期治疗后，患者造血系统改变、心理创伤、无力综合征、神经衰弱综合征均有所改善，受照后第10年患者开始出现粒系、红系、巨核细胞系同时减少，受照后第13年被诊断患有分离转换障碍，病程中还伴有心力衰竭、肝功异常、免疫力低下、神经衰弱等疾病。治疗后可缓解症状，但易反复。结论 本例轻度骨髓型急性放射病在临床表现与远后效应上有其独特的疾病特点，并发症较多，为今后此类疾病的临床救治提供了参考。     

PracticeCALM: Coaching Anxiety Lessening Methods for Radiation Therapists: A Pilot Study of a Skills-Based Training Program in Radiation Oncology

PracticeCALM is an 8-week on-the-job training program to teach radiation therapists (RTs) techniques for assisting patients who are experiencing treatment-related anxiety. Twelve clinical RTs in a regional oncology program were recruited on a volunteer basis to participate in the training. A mixed-method approach was undertaken to evaluate perceived benefits to clinical practice. The quantitative findings from the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) showed there were no changes before and after training. Qualitative findings showed significant benefits to RTs, including (1) ability to empathically attune more effectively and earlier to signs of anxiety in patients; (2) improved confidence and self-efficacy for effectively intervening in difficult treatment situations; and (3) enhanced creative problem solving in partnership with patients to assist the acutely anxious patient. The PSS results suggest that intrinsic and extrinsic stressors are a variable but consistent part of the everyday reality of RT practice. A training program focusing on the therapeutic presence dimension of RT practice has a direct impact on effectiveness in assisting anxious patients undergoing RT. When embedded in the clinical life of a radiation therapy department, such a training program has the potential to capture the lived practice wisdom and creative skills of RTs, and effectively mediate these skills across a team through group discussions and documentation on patient charts.     

The anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab sensitizes human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells to radiation in part through inhibiting radiation-induced upregulation of HIF-1α

In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying cetuximab-mediated radiosensitization of HNSCC. Irradiation of HNSCC cells upregulated hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) via a mechanism involving de novo synthesis of HIF-1α protein. Radiation-induced upregulation of HIF-1α was completely abolished by concurrent treatment of HNSCC cells with cetuximab. Experimental elevation of constitutively expressed HIF-1α abolished cetuximab-mediated radiosensitization in HNSCC cells, whereas downregulation of HIF-1α by siRNA or a small molecule inhibitor enhanced responses of cetuximab-resistant HNSCC cells to cetuximab plus radiation. Our data suggest that cetuximab sensitizes cancer cells to ionizing radiation in part through inhibition of radiation-induced upregulation of HIF-1α.     

Chemoembolization and radioembolization

Chemoembolization and radioembolization are at the core of the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who cannot receive potentially curative therapies such as transplantation, resection or percutaneous ablation. They differ in the mechanism of action (ischaemia and increase cytotoxic drug exposure for chemoembolization, internal irradiation for radioembolization) and may target different patient populations. Chemoembolization with cytotoxic drug-eluting beads is a more standardized although not necessarily more effective way of performing chemoembolization. Cytoreduction is achieved in most patients but complete tumor ablation may be achieved and lead to extended survival. Grade 1 level of evidence support the use of chemoembolization for the treatment of patients in the early and intermediate stages while grade 2 evidence supports the use of radioembolization for the treatment of patients in intermediate to advanced stages. Selecting the best candidates for both techniques is still a work in progress that ongoing clinical trials are trying to address.