AUTHOR=Chi Yunbo , Pan Ying , Zhang Ning , Han Dongmei , Guo Xin , Mao Zhuang , Cheng Guanghui 

TITLE=Clinical Outcomes of MRI-Guided Adaptive Brachytherapy for Each Fraction in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Single Institution Experience

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.841980

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2022.841980

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Purpose</title><p>This study aims to evaluate clinical outcomes of MRI-guided adaptive brachytherapy (MR-IGABT) for each brachytherapy fraction in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).</p></sec><sec><title>Methods and Materials</title><p>A retrospective analysis was performed on 97 consecutive patients with LACC treated with 44.0–50.4 Gy external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) ± concurrent platinum-containing chemotherapy followed by 4 × 7 Gy MR-IGABT between September 2014 and April 2019. Intracavitary (IC)/interstitial (IS)/hybrid intracavitary and interstitial (IC/IS) brachytherapy was used in MR-IGABT. Brachytherapy planning and dose reporting followed the GEC-ESTRO recommendations. Clinical outcomes including overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), progression-free survival (PFS), local control (LC), and treatment-related toxicity evaluated by the RTOG criteria were analyzed. Kaplan–Meier and univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to analyze the prognostic factor.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Median follow-up was 21.1 months. Median dose to 90% (D<sub>90</sub>) of the high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV) was 91.7 Gy (range 76.7~107.2 Gy). Two-year OS, CSS, PFS, and LC were 83.5%, 84.1%, 71.1%, and 94.8%, respectively. Four patients (4.1%) suffered from grade 3 late gastrointestinal radiation toxicity, and no other grade 3 or greater radiation toxicity occurred. Initial HR-CTV was an independent factor of OS (<italic>p</italic> = 0.001, HR = 1.018/cm<sup>3</sup>), PFS (<italic>p</italic> = 0.012, HR = 1.012/cm<sup>3</sup>), and LC (<italic>p</italic> = 0.011, HR = 1.028/cm<sup>3</sup>). The HR-CTV D<sub>90</sub> (<italic>p</italic> = 0.044, HR = 0.923/Gy) was an independent factor of PFS. Age was an independent factor of LC (<italic>p</italic> = 0.010, HR = 1.111/year).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>For patients with LACC, MR-IGABT was effective and safe. It showed favorable LC, OS, and minimal toxicity. Moreover, initial HR-CTV, HR-CTV D<sub>90</sub>, and age were significant prognostic factors.</p></sec>