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Feasibility and safety of 1.5 T MR-guided and daily adapted abdominal-pelvic SBRT for elderly cancer patients: geriatric assessment tools and preliminary patient-reported outcomes

  • Original Article – Clinical Oncology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Background

We present preliminary data of the first older cancer patients treated with Hybrid Linac for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) consisting of 1.5 T MRI-guided and daily-adapted treatment. The aim was to assess feasibility, safety and the role of G8 and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) questionnaires in predicting patients’ QoL, evaluated by patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Methods

Two groups of patients with localized prostate cancer or abdominal-pelvic oligometastases were analyzed. SBRT schedule consisted of 35 Gy delivered in 5 fractions. The primary endpoint was to measure the impact of G8 and CCI on PROMs. Both G8 and the CCI were performed at baseline, while the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) for PROMs assessment was prospectively performed at baseline and after SBRT.

Results

Forty older patients were analyzed. The median age was 73 years (range 65–85). For the entire population, the median G8 score was 15 (10–17) and the median CCI score was 6 (4–11). Concerning the PROMS, the EORTC-QLQ C30 questionnaire reported no difference between the pre- and post-SBRT evaluation in all patients, except for the fatigue item that declined after SBRT, especially in the group of patients with a G8 score < 15 and with age < 75 years (p = 0.049). No grade 3 or higher acute toxicity occurred.

Conclusion

This is the first report documenting for older cancer patients that 1.5 T MRI-guided daily-adapted SBRT is feasible, safe and does not impact on the QoL at the end of treatment. Longer follow-up is advocated to report long-term outcomes.

Trial registration

Date of approval April 2019 and numbered MRI/LINAC no. 23748.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Radiation Oncology Department, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Cancer Care Center, 37024, Negrar, VR, Italy

    Rosario Mazzola, Vanessa Figlia, Michele Rigo, Francesco Cuccia, Francesco Ricchetti, Niccolò Giaj-Levra, Luca Nicosia, Claudio Vitale, Gianluisa Sicignano, Antonio De Simone, Stefania Naccarato, Ruggero Ruggieri & Filippo Alongi

  2. University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    Filippo Alongi

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  1. Rosario Mazzola
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  2. Vanessa Figlia
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  3. Michele Rigo
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  4. Francesco Cuccia
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  5. Francesco Ricchetti
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  6. Niccolò Giaj-Levra
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Correspondence to Francesco Cuccia.

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Filippo Alongi is a consultant and speaker honoraria for Elekta; Ruggero Ruggieri is consultant for Elekta.

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Mazzola, R., Figlia, V., Rigo, M. et al. Feasibility and safety of 1.5 T MR-guided and daily adapted abdominal-pelvic SBRT for elderly cancer patients: geriatric assessment tools and preliminary patient-reported outcomes. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 146, 2379–2397 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-020-03230-w

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