Publications by authors named "Sumerya Duru Birgi"

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the prognostic factors for survival and treatment-related toxicities in older (≥65 years) cervical cancer patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. In addition, we sought to compare the outcomes between the older elderly (≥75 years) and their younger old counterparts (age, 65-74 years).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records from 269 biopsy-proven nonmetastatic cervical cancer patients treated with external radiotherapy and intracavitary brachytherapy at the departments of radiation oncology in 2 different universities. The prognostic factors for survival, local control, and distant metastasis (DM) were analyzed.

Results: The median follow-up time was 38.8 months (range, 1.5-175.5 months) for the entire cohort and 70.0 months (range, 6.1-175.7 months) for survivors. The 2- and 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and cause-specific survival rates were 66% and 42%, 63% and 39%, and 72% and 55%, respectively. Patients 75 years or older showed significantly worse OS compared with patients aged 65 to 74 years but showed no significant difference in DFS. The 2- and 5-year local control rates were 86% and 71%, respectively. The incidences of DMs at 2 and 5 years were 22% and 30%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, vaginal infiltration and lymph node metastasis were predictive of OS, DFS, local recurrence, and DM. Concomitant chemotherapy was predictive of OS, DFS, and local recurrence, and larger tumor (>4 cm) was a significant prognostic factor for local recurrence. None of the patients had toxicity that necessitated the discontinuation of radiotherapy. All patients were evaluable for acute toxicity, and no grade higher than 3 adverse events occurred during external beam radiation therapy or brachytherapy.

Conclusions: Although age limited the delivery of aggressive treatment, concurrent chemoradiotherapy in elderly patients associated with improved outcomes similar as in younger counterparts without increasing serious acute and late toxicities.

Background: The effects of spinal implants on dose distribution have been studied for conformal treatment plans. However, the dosimetric impact of spinal implants in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) treatments has not been studied in spatial orientation. In this study we evaluated the effect of spinal implants placed in sawbone vertebra models implanted as in vivo instrumentations.

Methods: Four different spinal implant reconstruction techniques were performed using the standard sawbone lumbar vertebrae model; 1. L2-L4 posterior instrumentation without anterior column reconstruction (PI); 2. L2-L4 anterior instrumentation, L3 corpectomy, and anterior column reconstruction with a titanium cage (AIAC); 3. L2-L4 posterior instrumentation, L3 corpectomy, and anterior column reconstruction with a titanium cage (PIAC); 4. L2-L4 anterior instrumentation, L3 corpectomy, and anterior column reconstruction with chest tubes filled with bone cement (AIABc). The target was defined as the spinous process and lamina of the lumbar (L) 3 vertebra. A thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD, LiF:Mg,Ti) was located on the measurement point anterior to the spinal cord. The prescription dose was 8 Gy and the treatment was administered in a single fraction using a CyberKnife® (Accuray Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA). We performed two different treatment plans. In Plan A beam interaction with the rod was not limited. In plan B the rod was considered a structure of avoidance, and interaction between the rod and beam was prevented. TLD measurements were compared with the point dose calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS).

Results And Discussion: In plan A, the difference between TLD measurement and the dose calculated by the TPS was 1.7 %, 2.8 %, and 2.7 % for the sawbone with no implant, PI, and PIAC models, respectively. For the AIAC model the TLD dose was 13.8 % higher than the TPS dose; the difference was 18.6 % for the AIABc model. In plan B for the AIAC and AIABc models, TLD measurement was 2.5 % and 0.9 % higher than the dose calculated by the TPS, respectively.

Conclusions: Spinal implants may be present in the treatment field in patients scheduled to undergo SBRT. For the types of implants studied herein anterior rod instrumentation resulted in an increase in the spinal cord dose, whereas use of a titanium cage had a minimal effect on dose distribution. While planning SBRT in patients with spinal reconstructions, avoidance of the rod and preventing interaction between the rod and beam might be the optimal solution for preventing unexpectedly high spinal cord doses.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the disease outcomes of patients treated with definitive and adjuvant radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses in a single institution.

Methods: Between 2007-2012 patients were retrospectively identified from electronic databases who had undergone surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy or definitive radiotherapy for sinonasal squamous cell carcinomas with curative intent.

Results: Fourty three patients with sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma were identified (22 nasal cavity, 21 paranasal sinuses). 31/43 (72%) had T3 or T4 disease; nodal stage was N0 in 38, N1 in 4, Na/b in 0 and N2c in 1 patient. Median age was 67 years (range 41-86). 18 (42%) received definitive and 25 (58%) adjuvant radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was delivered using either conventional radiotherapy (n = 39) or intensity modulated radiotherapy (n = 4). Elective neck radiotherapy was delivered to two patients. Chemotherapy was delivered to 6/43 (14%) of patients. Two-year local control, regional control, distant metastases free survival, progression free survival, cause specific survival and overall survival were 81%, 90%, 95%, 71%, 84% and 80% respectively. There was no significant difference in outcome comparing patients who underwent surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy with patients receiving definitive radiotherapy (2 year locoregional disease free survival 75% and 70% respectively, p = 0.98). Pooly differentiated tumours were significantly associated with inferior disease outcomes. Local, regional, combined local and regional, and distant failure occurred in 7 (16%), 3 (7%), 1 (2%) and 2 (5%) of patients; all 3 regional recurrences were in patients with nasal cavity squamous cell carcinomas who had not undergone elective neck treatment.

Conclusions: Definitive or adjuvant radiotherapy provides an effective treatment for sinonasal malignancies. The main pattern of failure remains local, suggesting the need for investigation of intensified local therapy. Whilst remaining uncommon, the cases of regional failure mean that the merits of elective lymph node treatment should be considered on an individual basis.