Introduction: The rate of isolated locoregional recurrence after surgery for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) approaches 25%. Ablative radiation therapy (A-RT) has improved outcomes for locally advanced disease in the primary setting. We sought to evaluate the outcomes of salvage A-RT for isolated locoregional recurrence and examine the relationship between subsequent patterns of failure, radiation dose, and treatment volume. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all consecutive participants who underwent A-RT for an isolated locoregional recurrence of PDAC after prior surgery at our institution between 2016 and 2021. Treatment consisted of ablative dose (BED10 98–100 Gy) to the gross disease with an additional prophylactic low dose (BED10 < 50 Gy), with the elective volume covering a 1.5 cm isotropic expansion around the gross disease and the circumference of the involved vessels. Local and locoregional failure (LF and LRF, respectively) estimated by the cumulative incidence function with competing risks, distant metastasis-free and overall survival (DMFS and OS, respectively) estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method, and toxicities scored by CTCAE v5.0 are reported. Location of recurrence was mapped to the dose region on the initial radiation plan. Results: Among 65 participants (of whom two had two A-RT courses), the median age was 67 (range 37–87) years, 36 (55%) were male, and 53 (82%) had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy with a median disease-free interval to locoregional recurrence of 16 (range, 6–71) months. Twenty-seven participants (42%) received chemotherapy prior to A-RT. With a median follow-up of 35 months (95%CI, 26–56 months) from diagnosis of recurrence, 24-month OS and DMFS were 57% (95%CI, 46–72%) and 22% (95%CI, 14–37%), respectively, while 24-month cumulative incidence of in-field LF and total LRF were 28% (95%CI, 17–40%) and 36% (95%CI 24–48%), respectively. First failure after A-RT was distant in 35 patients (53.8%), locoregional in 12 patients (18.5%), and synchronous distant and locoregional in 10 patients (15.4%). Most locoregional failures occurred in elective low-dose volumes. Acute and chronic grade 3–4 toxicities were noted in 1 (1.5%) and 5 patients (7.5%), respectively. Conclusions: Salvage A-RT achieves favorable OS and local control outcomes in participants with an isolated locoregional recurrence of PDAC after surgical resection. Consideration should be given to extending high-dose fields to include adjacent segments of at-risk vessels beyond direct contact with the gross disease.
Background/Objectives: Distinguishing primary lung squamous cell carcinoma (PLSCC) from metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (MHNSCC) to the lungs is challenging for pathologists, especially when patients present with a solitary lung nodule. The purpose of this study was to identify CT imaging features that differ between PLSCC from solitary MHNSCC to the lungs, using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and human papillomavirus in situ hybridization analysis as the gold reference standard. Methods: This retrospective, single-institution cross-sectional study included patients with a biopsy-proven PLSCC or solitary MHNSCC from July 2013 to May 2022, who underwent NGS or in situ hybridization, and baseline CT or PET/CT. Each scan was evaluated by at least two radiologists. Nodular, pleural, and ancillary CT features, as well as maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) from PET/CTs, were recorded. Associations between imaging features and pathology were examined using either the Wilcoxon rank-sum or Fisher’s exact test. Results: In total, 81 patients were included (median 66 years; 64 male); 36/81 (44%) had PLSCC and 45/81 (56%) had MHNSCC. PLSCC was associated with a larger size (median, 3.3–3.6 cm vs. 1.4–1.6 cm, p < 0.001), and the presence of post obstructive atelectasis (p = 0.002), pleural retraction (p < 0.001), pleural tags (p = 0.02), and pleural surface involvement (p = 0.02). MHNSCC presented as smaller peripheral nodules (p = 0.003) with lower SUVmax (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Several CT imaging features as well as SUVmax from PET/CT were significantly different between PLSCC and solitary MHNSCC and their potential discriminatory ability warrants evaluation in future studies.