Radiotherapy

We therefore aim to determine whether the type of mastectomy (preventive in a high-risk patient or therapeutic in a patient with a history of cancer), as well as the timing (immediate or delayed) and type of breast reconstruction, influence the quality of life and satisfaction of patients who have undergone bilateral mastectomy. The goal of this observational study is thus to measure and compare the quality of life of patients who have undergone bilateral mastectomy using the BREAST-Q questionnaire.

Currently, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy are the core treatment modalities for malignant tumors, with technologies advancing rapidly. Radiotherapy can induce massive tumor cell death in a short period and expose abundant tumor-specific antigens, turning the irradiated tumor into an endogenous tumor vaccine and even causing regression or disappearance of non-irradiated tumors (the abscopal effect) . Preclinical studies have shown that stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) combined with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors can activate systemic immunity, sensitize tumor-specific T cells to enter the bloodstream, and enable their homing to distant tumors, thereby inhibiting the growth of non-irradiated tumors . However, conclusions from rigorous randomized controlled trials have limitations when applied to the complex and heterogeneous patient populations in real-world settings. Real-world research is increasingly valued globally to complement traditional clinical trial evidence. This project prospectively collects data from patients receiving immunotherapy combined with radiotherapy in real-world clinical practice, which is of great value for evaluating long-term efficacy, safety, and impact on quality of life, and can provide high-level evidence for optimizing clinical practice and informing healthcare decisions.

Esophageal cancer (EC) ranks among the leading malignant gastrointestinal tumors globally in terms of both incidence and mortality. Cases of EC in China account for over 50% of the global total, with squamous cell carcinoma being the primary pathological type. Locally advanced EC (LAEC), particularly cases where radical surgical resection is not feasible, exhibits high recurrence rates and low 5-year survival rates. However, studies have shown that patients with LAEC who undergo comprehensive treatment followed by surgery experience significantly prolonged survival and improved quality of life compared to those who do not receive surgical intervention. Current conversion treatment regimens under investigation include: chemotherapy alone, chemoradiotherapy, immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy, and immunotherapy combined with chemoradiotherapy-each of these approaches has distinct advantages and limitations. Immunochemotherapy has emerged as a current research focus: it not only demonstrates significantly superior efficacy compared to chemotherapy alone but also exhibits lower cumulative toxicity than radiotherapy-combined conversion regimens, resulting in a more favorable overall benefit-risk ratio. As such, it represents the most promising conversion treatment strategy. Retrospective and prospective clinical studies have shown that low-dose radiotherapy targeting the small intestine can enhance the anti-tumor response of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with advanced solid tumor, prolong their overall survival, and increase the incidence of the abscopal effect. Further mechanistic investigations have revealed that intestinal low-dose radiotherapy (ILDR) may augment the immune cancerous lethality by modulating the gut microbiota and their metabolic profiles. Based on the findings from these preliminary studies, the current research plans to conduct a prospective phase II single-arm clinical trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of ILDR combined with immunochemotherapy as conversion therapy in patients with borderline resectable or unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (BR/UR ESCC). This research plans to enroll at least 39 evaluable cases or a total of 43 cases in two seperated stages, focusing on patients with thoracic BR/UR ESCC. Patients will receive a single fraction of ILDR with a mean dose of 1 Gy, concurrently with 3 cycles of albumin-bound paclitaxel (260 mg/m² on day 1), cisplatin (75 mg/m² on day 1), and tislelizumab (200 mg on day 1). The efficacy and safety of the treatment will be evaluated throughout the study.

The primary objective of this study is to determine in women with node negative BC ≤3cm in size, if PBI compared to WBI, both given once-a-day over 1 week following BCS, is non-inferior for LR and reduces adverse cosmesis. The primary outcomes are LR and patient-assessed cosmesis at 3 years post randomization.

This prospective, randomized phase II trial is designed to evaluate whether low-dose short-course radiotherapy differs from common-dose short-course radiotherapy in terms of efficacy when both regimens are sequentially combined with CAPOX, a PD-1 monoclonal antibody, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The study is based on findings from our previous single-center, single-arm PRIDE01 study, in which neoadjuvant short-course radiotherapy followed by systemic chemoimmunotherapy and IL-2 demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity relative to historical short-course radiotherapy-based approaches. The current trial aims to provide more robust clinical evidence regarding the potential role of low-dose radiotherapy combined with IL-2 as a sensitization strategy in multimodal neoadjuvant therapy. By comparing complete response rates between the two radiotherapy dose levels, this study may help define an optimized neoadjuvant approach and support future organ-preservation strategies for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Pediatric radiotherapy is an anxiety-provoking situation that can, on one hand, impair the child's cooperation and require sedation, and on the other hand,burden the care pathway by generating significant anxiety in both the child and their parents. Companion robots represent an innovative avenue for patient support, but they have never been evaluated in the context of radiotherapy. This study examines the effect of MIROKI, the first social robot capable of communication through a Large Multimodal Model (LMM), on children's state anxiety during radiotherapy. An experimental single-case design (SCED) will compare phases with and without the robot (withdrawal/reversal), both in the waiting room and in the irradiation bunker. The primary outcome variable is anxiety, assessed in several ways: through questionnaires at the beginning and end of treatment; through an objective measure of cardiac activity (heart rate in bpm) during the radiotherapy session, with or without the MIROKI robot; and through an observational grid assessing the child's behavior. The intensive repeated measure (bpm) constitutes the preferred variable in this SCED design, while behavioral observation and anxiety questionnaires will support interpretation. The results could pave the way for reducing sedation and improving the overall care pathway in pediatric radiotherapy.

This study will evaluate the feasibility of using this novel patient position monitoring system for patients receiving radiation therapy to targets involving the chest or upper abdomen, as these are the most affected by respiratory motion. This motion monitoring system will be incorporated with standard of care on-board CT imaging to confirm that the respiratory position is tracking the tumor target appropriately.

Rationale: With improvements in systemic tumour-directed treatments for primary tumours, survival rates for patients with bone metastases are improving. However, individual illness trajectories become less predictable and more vulnerable to adverse events from treatments, negatively impacting a patient's quality of life (QoL). Palliative care is aimed at reducing symptoms and improving QoL for patients with incurable diseases through early identification, thorough assessment, and effective management of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual challenges. Early integration of specialist palliative care into oncology care has shown to reduce symptom burden and potentially inappropriate end-of-life care, and to enhance QoL, yet it is often initiated late. Objective: The primary objective is to evaluate the satisfaction with care and QoL experienced by patients with bone metastases who are offered a consultation with the hospital palliative care consultation team (PCCT) when referred for palliative radiotherapy compared to patients who receive standard of care. Study design: A prospective, pragmatic, two-arm multicenter randomized controlled trial within the PRospective Evaluation of interventional StudiEs on boNe meTastases (PRESENT+) cohort that follows the Trials within Cohorts (TwiCs) design. Study population: Patients with bone metastases referred for palliative radiotherapy who have their treating physician in one of the participating centers and have not been in contact with the hospital PCCT before. Intervention: A consultation with the hospital PCCT within two weeks after inclusion in PRESENT+. In the standard of care control group, no consultation with the PCCT will be scheduled. They may have a consultation during follow-up if referring physicians may consider a consultation appropriate, or when patients themselves feel they want a referral. Main study parameters/endpoints: Satisfaction with care (affective behavior) four weeks after inclusion in PRESENT+.

This study is a national multicenter, prospective randomized, placebo- controlled Phase III clinical trial designed to investigate the potential therapeutic benefit of immunotherapy combined with total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) and to compare the efficacy of different radiotherapy modalities followed by immunotherapy.

This multicenter, prospective study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose radiotherapy (15Gy/1.5 Gy bid × 10 fractions) combined with 4-6 cycles of systemic chemotherapy plus anti-PD-L1 antibody, followed by anti-PD-L1 antibody maintenance for up to two years, in participants with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). Additionally, dynamic monitoring using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology will be performed to assess ctDNA levels, genetic information, and mutation abundance at the following time points: before and after low-dose radiotherapy, after 4-6 cycles of chemotherapy plus anti-PD-L1 antibody (chemotherapy-immunotherapy), and before the initiation of anti-PD-L1 maintenance therapy. This approach aims to guide efficacy and prognosis prediction, as well as to identify potential biomarkers associated with treatment response.

Breast cancer and its treatment with radiotherapy may be associated with systemic inflammatory, hematological, cardiac, body composition, functional and quality-of-life alterations. Exercise has emerged as a non-pharmacological strategy with potential benefits during oncological treatment; however, further evidence is needed regarding the effects of supervised moderate-intensity interval aerobic exercise during radiotherapy. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of a supervised moderate-intensity interval aerobic exercise programme on systemic inflammatory and immune-derived hematological indices, cardiac biomarkers, body composition, muscle strength, lower-limb power, sleep quality and breast cancer-specific quality of life in women with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Participants will be allocated to either an experimental group performing supervised moderate-intensity interval aerobic exercise during radiotherapy or to a control group receiving usual care without structured exercise during the study period. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period.

This study hypothesizes that approximately 50% of rectal cancer patients can preserve their rectum using a watch-and-wait strategy if they achieve a complete or near-complete clinical response to total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT). The objective is to determine whether the complications, quality of life, and survival rates of rectal cancer patients who have achieved a complete or near-complete clinical response to TNT, followed by a watch-and-wait approach, are comparable to those of patients who undergo surgery first. Additionally, the study aims to identify potential prognostic and predictive markers for rectal cancer and examine survival rates and factors influencing responses to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or TNT. The study is divided into two parts: \*\*Part One:\*\* Participants with cT1N1, T2-T3 N0-1 rectal cancer, MRF-, and EMVI-, with surgery as one of the possible first-line treatment options, will be randomized into two groups. The experimental group will consist of participants receiving TNT, including CRT and consolidation chemotherapy (Ch). If these participants achieve a complete or near-complete clinical response, they will be observed using a watch-and-wait strategy, which is a non-operative approach. The control group will consist of participants who undergo surgical treatment initially. \*\*Part Two:\*\* All participants with rectal cancer who have received CRT or TNT will be included. Additionally, participants diagnosed with rectal cancer who are scheduled for CRT or TNT but declined to participate in Part One or do not meet the inclusion criteria will also be included.

This is a multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled phase III clinical trial in primary diagnosed loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of induction chemotherapy (IC) combined with low-dose radiation and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) versus IC+CCRT, and compare the treatment-related adverse events and quality of life in two groups.

This single-center, prospective, single-arm Phase II clinical trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC, for up to 4 cycles) with iparomlimab/tuvonralimab plus bevacizumab followed by stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who present with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) or extrahepatic oligometastatic disease. The study aims to determine whether this combination strategy can prolong progression-free survival (PFS), while also improving overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and local control rate (LCR), as well as maintaining quality of life (QoL). In addition, the trial will systematically evaluate the safety profile and treatment-related toxicities associated with this regimen.

The aim of this study is to learn whether using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans to plan radiotherapy is better than using CT (computed tomography) scans alone. The main questions it aims to answer is: * Can MRI scan images be adjusted to make the tumour and normal tissues easier to see? * Does adding MRI to a radiotherapy planning CT make the radiotherapy plan more precise? * Can MRI be used to adjust a radiotherapy plan during a course of treatment to make it more precise, and might that reduce the side effects? * Are there particular MRI scans that can predict how a tumour will respond to radiotherapy or how likely the patient is to have side effects? This study will assess current MRI scanning procedures and ensure these are adjusted to best suit radiotherapy planning. It will also provide pilot data evaluating: 1. MRI-adapted radiotherapy Usually, radiotherapy plans are based on a pre-treatment planning CT scan. Unless an issue is detected the patient would complete their whole course of radiotherapy on this plan. This does not account for changes in position/size/shape of the tumour that occur over the whole treatment course. Clinicians therefore increase the size of the tumour/target to account for these uncertainties, which can increase side effects. This study will assess the potential to reduce side effects from radiotherapy by using repeat MRI scans and replanning during the treatment course (MRI-adaptive radiotherapy). 2. Imaging biomarkers MRI sequences can be used to predict response to radiotherapy or chance of developing side effects. This study will identify potential MRI sequences that may be used as imaging biomarkers, to guide the development of future clinical trials. The study will be undertaken at SBUHB, lasting 4 years, and involving ≤15 healthy volunteers and ≤150 patients.

The goal of this study is to improve the monitoring of fluid retention in cancer patients. The main question it aims to answer is: Can segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis be used to monitor local fluid retention (edema) in cancer patients? We will include: * Breast cancer patients with fluid and or lymph retention in one or both arms after radiotherapy (outpatients) * Cancer patients with fluid retention in one or both legs after chemotherapy (hospitalized) Participants will: * Have measurements taken using bioelectrical impedance * Provide blood samples and 24-hour urine collection * Weight monitorering * Complete diet and fluid registration (inclusive enteral and parenteral) * Have clinical palpatory and measurement assessment of oedema.

By establishing a prospective clinical cohort for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and systematically collecting high-quality real-world data integrating clinical, imaging, pathological, and molecular dimensions, this study aims to enable personalized treatment for distinct SCLC subtypes. Furthermore, by evaluating the influence of radiotherapy timing, dose and fractionation, and target selection on efficacy and toxicity, we aim to identify the optimal radio-immunotherapy combination regimen that maximizes the synergistic effect in SCLC patients.

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare whether the use of videoconferencing in breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy is better for pre-treatment education than telephone calls. The main question it aims to answer is in breast cancer patient receiving radiotherapy, does videoconferencing, compared to telephone calls for pre-treatment education result in decreased procedural fears and concerns? The investigators hypothesize that the use of videoconferencing for pre-treatment radiotherapy education will decrease breast cancer patients' procedural fears and concerns. Researchers will compare the current standard of care in a 30 minute radiation therapist led pre-treatment education call to the intervention of a 45 minute radiation therapist led videoconferencing call to see if the intervention reduces patient procedural fears and concerns, anxiety levels, and has higher patient satisfaction. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires at three time points: 1. Baseline - at time of study consent. 2. CT-Simulation - after their radiotherapy CT-Simulation appointment. 3. Day 1 Treatment - after their first day of radiotherapy treatment.

This study aims to monitor the nutritional status of patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy treatment. Throughout the treatment process, patients' body composition, handgrip strength, food intake, quality of life, and treatment-related side effects will be regularly assessed. Measurements will include physical parameters like body weight, height, and waist circumference, as well as blood test results and nutrition-related questionnaires. By closely tracking these changes, the study seeks to identify early signs of nutritional deterioration and support timely interventions. The goal is to better understand nutrition-related challenges during treatment and ultimately improve patients' quality of life.

Lattice radiation therapy (LRT) is a spatially fractionated radiotherapy technique that creates alternating high - and low - dose areas within a tumor to enhance local control and reduce toxicity to surrounding tissues. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combining LRT with immunotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors, through a Phase II clinical trial. Patients will receive specific - dose irradiation using a medical linear accelerator. Within the GTV of the largest tumor, spheres (0.5 - 3 cm in diameter) will be created as high - dose targets (LRT targets), spaced 2.0 - 5.0 cm apart. The LRT targets must be drawn within the GTV, avoiding blood vessels, with a margin of at least 1 cm from the GTV margin, and a volume ratio of 1% - 10% of the GTV. For a single lesion, the D95 of the GTV will be ≥1 Gy/fraction, and the D95 of the LRT target will be 8 - 12 Gy/fraction, with minimal possible single - fraction doses to organs at risk. All other irradiated metastases will receive low - dose radiotherapy (100 - 300 cGy × 5 fractions), except for brain and bone metastases, which will be treated with palliative radiotherapy as per clinical routine. Immunotherapy will be administered during or within one week after radiotherapy.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its early clinical manifestations are often subtle, leading to late-stage diagnosis in about 30% of cases with distant metastases. Liver metastases are widespread and associated with poor prognosis, especially in terms of response to immunotherapy. This prospective study will evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy involving sintilimab, fruquintinib, and radiotherapy in CRC with liver metastases. The primary objectives are to assess progression-free survival, overall survival, and treatment response rates. This study aims to provide valuable insights into optimizing third-line and subsequent therapies for CRC with liver metastases by elucidating the efficacy and safety of this combined treatment approach.

This study aims to evaluate whether a generative artificial intelligence (AI)-based educational video is more effective than a conventional video in improving patient understanding and reducing anxiety before radiation therapy. In this prospective, randomized controlled study, participants will be assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either an AI-based avatar video group or a conventional video group consisting of PowerPoint slides with voice narration. Both videos will be standardized to have similar duration (approximately 5 minutes), identical key messages, and the same summary points. After providing informed consent, participants will complete questionnaires before and after watching the assigned video, as well as during the first week of treatment. Outcomes will include anxiety levels, knowledge comprehension, and satisfaction with the educational video. A total of 136 patients scheduled to undergo radiation therapy will be enrolled from two institutions. The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence on the effectiveness of AI-based educational tools in enhancing patient education and reducing pre-treatment anxiety.

This study is a prospective phase II clinical trial aimed at exploring the potential benefits of supplementing β-hydroxybutyrate with existing short course radiotherapy sequential immunotherapy and CAPEOX therapy.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by immunotherapy as maintenance therapy works to treat locally advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer in adults.

The aim of this clinical study is to explore the impact of whether radiotherapy is administered after spinal metastasis surgery on the prognosis and survival of patients, to describe the clinical outcomes, and to optimize future clinical decisions.