Despite its increasing popularity, there are limited prospective data on stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR). In this trial, we assessed the safety and efficacy of STAR in patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT), focusing on early treatment-related grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AE). This prospective trial was designed for adults with VT recurrence following catheter ablation (CA) despite adequate pharmacotherapy, or contraindications to CA. A single dose of 25 Gy was delivered to the arrhythmia substrate defined on electro-anatomic mapping and cardiac-gated CT. The primary endpoint was safety, defined as two or fewer treatment-related grade ≥ 3 AEs during the first three months in 11 patients. Additional endpoints included treatment efficacy, clinical and biological markers of cardiac injury, and quality of life. Eleven patients with a median age of 67 years, structural heart disease, and a clinically significant recurrence of VT despite adequate pharmacotherapy and 1-4 previous CAs were enrolled between 2020/09 and 2022/10. Following the treatment, one patient developed a possibly treatment-related grade ≥ 3 AE, a grade 4 heart failure exacerbation at 87 days, which resolved after conservative treatment. There was a total 84.3% reduction in VT burden in 10 evaluable patients; however, VT recurrence was eventually observed in eight, and three patients required additional CAs. Three deaths due to unrelated causes were recorded. STAR appears to be safe and efficient. It is a promising treatment for selected patients; however, long-term outcomes remain to be evaluated, and controlled trials comparing STAR with standards of care are missing.

Cardiac stereotactic body radiotherapy is an emerging treatment method for recurrent ventricular tachycardia refractory to invasive treatment methods. The single-fraction delivery of 25 Gy was assumed to produce fibrosis, similar to a post-radiofrequency ablation scar. However, the dynamics of clinical response and recent preclinical findings suggest a possible different mechanism. The data on histopathological presentation of post-radiotherapy hearts is scarce, and the authors provide significantly different conclusions. In this article, we present unique data on histopathological examination of a heart explanted from a patient who had a persistent anti-arrhythmic response that lasted almost a year, until a heart failure exacerbation caused a necessity of a heart transplant. Despite a complete treatment response, there was no homogenous transmural fibrosis in the irradiated region, and the overall presentation of the heart was similar to other transplanted hearts of patients with advanced heart failure. In conclusion, our findings support the theorem of functional changes as a source of the anti-arrhythmic mechanism of radiotherapy and show that durable treatment response can be achieved in absence of transmural fibrosis of the irradiated myocardium.

Peyronie's disease (PD) is a connective tissue disorder affecting the tunica albuginea. It can cause pain and penile deformation, and its prevalence increases with age. Although surgery is the gold standard for the chronic phase of the disease, there are several conservative treatment methods available, and the optimal management of the acute phase of the disease remains a matter of debate. In this article, we aim to summarize the recent trends in research on the subject of non‐surgical treatment of PD. The search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and included studies in English published between 2012 and 2022 investigating the clinical outcomes of non‐surgical PD management in humans. We have identified 20 distinct conservative treatment strategies. Among the oral therapeutics, only the use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors is currently recommended for clinical use in patients with concomitant erectile dysfunction. The use of collagenase from Clostridium histolyticum is supported by the best quality evidence in terms of intralesional injections for patients suffering from significant penile curvature; however, interferon alpha‐2b can also be an option in such patients. Among other non‐invasive methods, extracorporeal shockwaves can be useful for pain reduction, and penile traction therapy can lead to a reduction in penile curvature and plaque size. Despite a wide range of non‐surgical methods available for PD treatment, the majority are not supported by sufficient scientific evidence, and the treatment efficacy is underwhelming. Further research on the subject of non‐surgical management of PD is highly warranted.

Purpose: External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with or without brachytherapy boost (BTB) has not been compared in prospective studies using guideline-recommended radiation dose and recommended androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT). In this multicenter retrospective analysis, we compared modern-day EBRT with BTB in terms of biochemical control (BC) for intermediate-risk (IR) and high-risk (HR) prostate cancer. Methods: Patients were treated for primary IR or HR prostate cancer during 1999–2019 at three high-volume centers. Inclusion criteria were prescribed ≥ 76 Gy EQD2 (α/β = 1.5 Gy) for IR and ≥ 78 Gy EQD2 (α/β = 1.5 Gy) for HR as EBRT alone or with BTB. All HR patients received ADT and pelvic irradiation, which were optional in IR cases. BC between therapies was compared in survival analyses. Results: Of 2769 initial patients, 1176 met inclusion criteria: 468 HR (260 EBRT, 208 BTB) and 708 IR (539 EBRT, 169 BTB). Median follow-up was 49 and 51 months for HR and IR, respectively. BTB patients with ≥ 113 Gy EQD_2Gy experienced a stable, good BC outcome compared with BTB at lower doses. Patients treated with ≥ 113 Gy EQD_2Gy also experienced significantly improved BC compared with EBRT (10-year BC failure rates after ≥ 113 Gy BTB and EBRT: respectively 20.4 and 41.8% for HR and 7.5 and 20.8% for IR). Conclusions: In patients with IR and HR prostate cancer, BTB with ≥ 113 Gy EQD_2Gy offered a BC advantage compared with dose-escalated EBRT and lower BTB doses.

Introduction: Recurrent oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) poses significant challenges in treatment, requiring a multifaceted approach for effective management. Case Presentation: We present the case of a 68-year-old patient with a history of keratonizing SCC of the mandibular gingiva, treated with surgical resection, adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) to a total dose of 60 Gy in 30 fractions and 6 cycles of concurrent chemotherapy. After 6 years of follow-up, the patient experienced a local late recurrence in clinical stage rT4N0M0 requiring palliative chemotherapy (6 cycles of PF regimen). Due to progression, nivolumab-based immunotherapy was administered. After the 11th cycle of immunotherapy, high-dose re-irradiation (18 Gy in 3 fractions) was applied due to subsequent progression. The addition of stereotactic RT to the immunotherapy allowed nivolumab to be continued until cycle 64, ensuring long-term disease stabilization with acceptable tolerability. Consecutive palliative chemotherapy included paclitaxel and methotrexate. Conclusion: This case highlights the complex management of recurrent oral SCC, emphasizing the role of combining stereotactic RT with nivolumab in prolonging the administration of immunotherapy.

Autophagy is a highly conservative self-degradative process. It aims at eliminating impaired proteins and cellular organelles. Previous research confirmed its importance in cancer pathogenesis. PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched, analyzing studies on the role of autophagy in the development of multiple myeloma. The manuscript focuses on meta-analyses, case-control studies, and observational studies involving people with multiple myeloma. This article explores the role of autophagy in the development of MM. Autophagy plays a dual role in cancer development. It can either promote or inhibit carcinogenesis. Autophagy is crucial in determining the fate of B cells, either supporting their survival or triggering cell death. Drugs that target autophagy may be the focus of 'molecular targeted therapy.' In this review, autophagy mechanisms potentially effective in MM cells are discussed within the context of the unfolded protein response (UPR), the bone marrow microenvironment (BMME), drug resistance, hypoxia, and DNA repair. The genes and pathways involved in MM cell survival and drug resistance, which could serve as new targets for effective treatment, are highlighted. The analysis of autophagy gene expression in MM could be a important factor in the diagnostic process and treatment individualization. The autophagy modulation seems to be a relevant target in oncological therapy, it could limit disease progression and increase the effectiveness of treatment.