A 77-year-old transgender man (assigned female sex at birth, gender identity male, i.e. female-to-male) was referred for a palpable mass of the right chest wall. Biopsies revealed invasive lobular breast carcinoma. After discussion by a multidisciplinary tumour board meeting, the patient was treated with total mastectomy, adjuvant hypofractionated radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. At 1.5-year follow-up, there was no sign of recurrence or long-term radiation side effects. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of adjuvant hypofractionated radiation therapy in a transgender patient with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: There has been limited progress made in improving the suboptimal outcomes delivered by conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (RT) for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) and squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). A greater biological effect may be achieved using hypofractionated RT (HFRT), though the toxicity, tolerability and efficacy of this approach in OAC and OSCC is uncertain.
METHODS: A systematic literature review was carried out in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews guidance. Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched for terms relating to HFRT (>2.4Gy per fraction) for OAC or OSCC. All relevant clinical studies published between January 2000 and April 2023 were included. Study quality was assessed using predefined criteria.
RESULTS: Ninety-six studies were screened and 20 subsequently included, together incorporating 1208 patients. Fourteen studies focussed on neoadjuvant or definitive treatment. These were predominantly retrospective (n = 10, 71%) though two (n = 2, 14%) early phase trials were identified. Most focussed on OSCC (n = 7, 47%) or mixed OSCC/OAC (n = 6, 43%) populations. Four (28.6%) included a conventionally fractionated chemoradiotherapy (CRT) comparator, against which median overall (mOS) and progression free survival outcomes from HFRT did not differ. Reported mOS for HFRT ranged between 29-36 months at 2.5-3.125Gy per fraction (total dose 50-60Gy) for OAC and OSCC combined. Toxicity and tolerability with HFRT was comparable with conventionally fractionated CRT up to, but not exceeding, 5Gy. Three (50%) of the six palliative-intent studies were early phase trials and most (n = 4, 67%) focussed on OAC and OSCC. Response rates with HFRT in the palliative setting were 63.6-88.0%.
CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence in OAC/OSCC for promising efficacy and an acceptable toxicity profile for moderately HFRT, alone or with concurrent chemotherapy. These data should prompt prospective, randomised comparisons of HFRT and conventionally fractionated CRT and single-modality RT schedules.
BACKGROUND: PROSPERO; CRD42023457791.

BACKGROUND: High-level evidence on hypofractionated proton therapy (PT) for localized and locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa) patients is currently missing. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic literature review to compare the toxicity and effectiveness of curative radiotherapy with photon therapy (XRT) or PT in PCa.
METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched up to April 2022. Men with a diagnosis of PCa who underwent curative hypofractionated RT treatment (PT or XRT) were included. Risk of grade (G) ≥ 2 acute and late genitourinary (GU) OR gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity were the primary outcomes of interest. Secondary outcomes were five-year biochemical relapse-free survival (b-RFS), clinical relapse-free, distant metastasis-free, and prostate cancer-specific survival. Heterogeneity between study-specific estimates was assessed using Chi-square statistics and measured with the I2 index (heterogeneity measure across studies).
RESULTS: A total of 230 studies matched inclusion criteria and, due to overlapped populations, 160 were included in the present analysis. Significant lower rates of G ≥ 2 acute GI incidence (2 % vs 7 %) and improved 5-year biochemical relapse-free survival (95 % vs 91 %) were observed in the PT arm compared to XRT. PT benefits in 5-year biochemical relapse-free survival were maintained for the moderate hypofractionated arm (p-value 0.0122) and among patients in intermediate and low-risk classes (p-values < 0.0001 and 0.0368, respectively). No statistically relevant differences were found for the other considered outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports that PT is safe and effective for localized PCa treatment, however, more data from RCTs are needed to draw solid evidence in this setting and further effort must be made to identify the patient subgroups that could benefit the most from PT.

This critical review aims to summarize the relevant published data regarding hypofractionation regimens for preoperative radiation therapy (RT) prior to surgery for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of the extremity or superficial trunk. We identified peer-reviewed publications using a PubMed search on the MeSH headings of \"soft tissue sarcoma\" AND \"hypofractionated radiation therapy.\" To obtain complication data on similar anatomical radiotherapeutic scenarios we also searched \"hypofractionated radiation therapy\" AND \"melanoma\" as well as \"hypofractionated radiation therapy\" AND \"breast cancer.\" We then used reference lists from relevant articles to obtain additional pertinent publications. We also incorporated relevant abstracts presented at international sarcoma meetings and relevant clinical trials as listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website. Detailed data are presented and contextualized for ultra-hypofractionated and moderately hypofractionated regimens with respect to local control, wound complications, and amputation rates. Comparative data are also presented for late toxicities including: fibrosis, joint limitation, edema, skin integrity, and bone fracture or necrosis. These data are compared to a standard regimen of 50 Gy in 25 daily fractions delivered over 5 weeks. This analysis supports the continued use of a standard regimen for preoperative RT for STS of 25 × 2 Gy over 5 weeks without concurrent chemotherapy. Use of concurrent chemotherapy with preoperative RT for STS should be reserved for well-designed clinical trials. A randomized trial of ultra-hypofractionated and moderately hypofractionated pre op RT for STS is warranted, but it is critical for the primary endpoint (or co-primary endpoint) to be late toxicity to: bone, soft tissue, joint, and skin.

BACKGROUND: When compared with conventional external beam radiotherapy, hypofractionated radiotherapy has led to less treatment sessions and improved quality of life without compromising oncological outcomes for men with prostate cancer. Evidence has shown transurethral prostatic resection prior to brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy is associated with worsening genitourinary toxicity. However, there is no review of genitourinary toxicity when TURP occurs prior to definitive hypofractionated radiotherapy. In this review, we seek to illustrate the genitourinary outcomes for men with localized prostate cancer who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate prior to receiving definitive hypofractionated radiotherapy. Genitourinary outcomes are explored, and any predictive risk factors for increased genitourinary toxicity are described.
METHODS: PubMed, Medline (Ovid), EMBASE and Cochrane Library were all searched for relevant articles published in English within the last 25 years. This scoping review identified a total of 579 articles. Following screening by authors, 11 articles were included for analysis.
RESULTS: Five studies reported on acute and late toxicity. One article reported only acute toxicity while 5 documented late toxicity only. While most articles found no increased risk of acute toxicity, the risk of late toxicity, particularly hematuria was noted to be significant. Risk factors including poor baseline urinary function, prostate volume, number of prior transurethral prostatic resections, timing of radiotherapy following transurethral prostatic resection, volume of the intraprostatic resection cavity and mean dose delivered to the cavity were all found to influence genitourinary outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS: For those who have undergone prior TURP hypofractionated radiotherapy may increase the risk of late urinary toxicity, particularly hematuria. Those with persisting bladder dysfunction following TURP are at greatest risk and careful management of these men is required. Close collaboration between urologists and radiation oncologists is recommended to discuss the management of patients with residual baseline bladder dysfunction prior to commencing hypofractionated radiotherapy.

UNASSIGNED: Increasing rates of diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), given the widespread use of mammography, is a global trend. Various attempts have been made in the selection of surgical methods and application of radiation therapy (RT), and the prevalence of infectious diseases has also affected these attempts. This study aimed to investigate evolving treatment patterns and trends in the management of DCIS in South Korea.
UNASSIGNED: We conducted a comprehensive search of the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Patient Sample (HIRA-NPS) database and selected patients who underwent breast surgery following a DCIS diagnosis between 2009 and 2020. Based on this sample, the analyses were weighted according to the Korean population. We examined annual variations in mastectomy types, reconstructive procedures, and RT utilization from a multidisciplinary perspective.
UNASSIGNED: In our weighted sample, 43,780 patients with DCIS underwent surgery, with a consistent annual increase of 10%. The proportion of lumpectomy procedures increased from 56.7% to 65.4%, showing a greater growth rate than that of total mastectomies (TMs). Following the availability of reconstruction data in 2015, shifts have emerged toward a preference for implant-based autologous tissue reconstruction. As we transitioned to the latter part of our study, the trend was marked by the increasing adoption of hypofractionated RT and omission of RT. Of the patients who underwent lumpectomy in 2020, 25.6% adopted hypofractionated RT and 53.8% omitted RT. This transformation was particularly evident among older patients, individuals treated in metropolitan areas, and those treated in small-sized healthcare facilities.
UNASSIGNED: Our study sheds light on the changing landscape of DCIS treatment in South Korea incorporating perspectives from surgeons, plastic surgeons, and radiation oncologists. We observed an increase in the rates of lumpectomy and implant-based reconstruction. Adoption of hypofractionated RT and omission of RT showed increasing trends.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the evidence for ultrahypofractionated pelvic nodal irradiation in patients with prostate cancer, with a focus on reported acute and late toxicities.
METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in 5 electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov) from inception until March 23, 2023. Eligible publications included patients with intermediate- and high-risk and node-positive prostate cancer who underwent elective or therapeutic ultrahypofractionated pelvic nodal irradiation. Primary outcomes included the presence of grade ≥2 rates of acute and late gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events or Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scales. Quality assessment was performed using National Institutes of Health tools for noncontrolled beforeand after (single arm) clinical trials, as well as single-arm observational studies. Because all outcomes were categorical variables, proportion was calculated to estimate the effect size and compare the outcomes after the intervention.
RESULTS: We identified 16 publications that reported the use of ultrahypofractionated radiation therapy to treat the pelvis in prostate cancer. Seven publications met our criteria and were included in the meta-analysis, including 417 patients. The median total dose to the pelvic lymph nodes was 25 Gy (range, 25-28.5 Gy), with a median of 5 fractions. The prostate received a median dose of 40 Gy (range, 35-47.5 Gy). All studies used androgen deprivation therapy for a median duration of 18 months. The median follow-up period was 3 years (range, 0.5-5.6 years). The rates of acute grade ≥2 gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity were 8% (95% CI, 1%-15%) and 29% (95% CI, 18%-41%), respectively. For late grade ≥2 gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity, the rates were 13% (95% CI, 5%-21%) and 29% (95% CI, 17%-42%), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Ultrahypofractionated pelvic nodal irradiation appears to be a safe approach in terms of acute and late genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity.

Although single-fraction high-dose-rate brachytherapy (SFHDR) for localized prostate cancer has been tried in clinical trials, relevant medical evidence is currently lacking. It is necessary to systematically analyze the safety and efficacy of SFHDR.
Comprehensive and systematic searches for eligible studies were performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases. The primary endpoints included safety and efficacy, represented by toxic effects and biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS), respectively. The proportion rates were used as the effect measure for each study and were presented with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) and related 95% prediction interval (PI). Restricted maximum-likelihood estimator (REML) and the Hartung-Knapp method were used in the meta-analysis.
Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria for quantitative analysis, including 1440 patients. The median age of patients was 66.9 years old (62-73 years old) and the median follow-up was 47.5 months (12-75 months). The estimates of cumulative occurrence for severe gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxic effects were 0.1% (95% CI 0-0.2%) and 0.4% (95% CI 0-1.2%), and for grade 2 toxic effects were 1.6% (95% CI 0.1-4.7%) and 17.1% (95% CI 5.4-33.5%), respectively. The estimate of 3‑year bRFS was 87.5% (95% CI 84.4-90.3%) and 71.0% (95% CI 63.0-78.3%) for 5‑year bRFS. The pooled bRFS rates for low-risk patients were 99.0% (95% CI 85.2-100.0%) at 3 years and 80.9% (95% CI 75.4-85.9%) at 5 years, and the risk group was found to be statistically correlated with bRFS (3-year bRFS, P < 0.01; 5‑year bRFS, P = 0.04).
SFHDR is associated with favorable tolerability and suboptimal clinical benefit in patients with localized prostate cancer. Ongoing and planned high-quality prospective studies are necessary to verify its safety and efficacy.

We sought to systematically review and summarize dosimetric factors associated with radiation-induced brachial plexopathy (RIBP) after stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) or hypofractionated image guided radiation therapy (HIGRT). From published studies identified from searches of PubMed and Embase databases, data quantifying risks of RIBP after 1- to 10-fraction SBRT/HIGRT were extracted and summarized. Published studies have reported <10% risks of RIBP with maximum doses (Dmax) to the inferior aspect of the brachial plexus of 32 Gy in 5 fractions and 25 Gy in 3 fractions. For 10-fraction HIGRT, risks of RIBP appear to be low with Dmax < 40 to 50 Gy. For a given dose value, greater risks are anticipated with point volume-based metrics (ie, D0.03-0.035cc: minimum dose to hottest 0.03-0.035 cc) versus Dmax. With SBRT/HIGRT, there were insufficient published data to predict risks of RIBP relative to brachial plexus dose-volume exposure. Minimizing maximum doses and possibly volume exposure of the brachial plexus can reduce risks of RIBP after SBRT/HIGRT. Further study is needed to better understand the effect of volume exposure on the brachial plexus and whether there are location-specific susceptibilities along or within the brachial plexus structure.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) represent a diverse group of rare malignant tumors. Currently, five to six weeks of preoperative radiotherapy (RT) combined with surgery constitute the mainstay of therapy for localized high-grade sarcomas (G2-G3). Growing evidence suggests that shortening preoperative RT courses by hypofractionation neither increases toxicity rates nor impairs oncological outcomes. Instead, shortening RT courses may improve therapy adherence, raise cost-effectiveness, and provide more treatment opportunities for a wider range of patients. Presumed higher rates of adverse effects and worse outcomes are concerns about hypofractionated RT (HFRT) for STS. This systematic review summarizes the current evidence on preoperative HFRT for the treatment of STS and discusses toxicity and oncological outcomes compared to normofractionated RT.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of clinical trials describing outcomes for preoperative HFRT in the management of STS using PubMed, the Cochrane library, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, Embase, and Ovid Medline. We followed the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Trials on retroperitoneal sarcomas, postoperative RT, and hyperthermia were excluded. Articles published until November 30th, 2021, were included.
RESULTS: Initial search yielded 94 articles. After removal of duplicate and ineligible articles, 13 articles qualified for analysis. Eight phase II trials and five retrospective analyses were reviewed. Most trials applied 5 × 5 Gy preoperatively in patients with high-grade STS. HFRT courses did not show increased rates of adverse events compared to historical trials of normofractionated RT. Toxicity rates were mostly comparable or lower than in trials of normofractionated RT. Moreover, HFRT achieved comparable local control rates with shorter duration of therapy. Currently, more than 15 prospective studies on HFRT + / - chemotherapy are ongoing.
CONCLUSIONS: Retrospective data and phase II trials suggest preoperative HFRT to be a reasonable treatment modality for STS. Oncological outcomes and toxicity profiles were favorable. To date, our knowledge is mostly derived from phase II data. No randomized phase III trial comparing normofractionated and HFRT in STS has been published yet. Multiple ongoing phase II trials applying HFRT to investigate acute and late toxicity will hopefully bring forth valuable findings.