Giovanni Ursi

Mr. Giovanni Ursi


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 December 2024 in Current Oncology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
VLVanda Leipold
Vanda Leipold
BJBlanka Jakšić
Blanka Jakšić
AAAsmir Avdicevic
Asmir Avdicevic
DKDomagoj Kosmina
Domagoj Kosmina
HKHrvoje Kaučić
Hrvoje Kaučić
DSDragan Schwarz
Dragan Schwarz
We present a patient treated with personalized ultra-fractionated stereotactic adaptive radiotherapy (PULSAR) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using the adaptive Varian Ethos™ system equipped with the novel HyperSight imaging platform. Three pulses of 12 Gy were separated by a pause of four weeks during which the tumor was given enough time to respond to treatment. Only initial planning computed tomography (CT) was acquired on a CT simulator (Siemens Somatom Definition Edge), whereas other pulses were adapted using online cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images (iCBCT Acuros reconstruction) acquired while the patient was lying on the treatment couch and delivered immediately. Significant tumor reduction was achieved between pulses, resulting in improved organs-at-risk sparing. In addition, the on-couch plan optimization based on CBCT greatly reduced the patient’s stay at the clinic and the duration of treatment preparation.

27 June 2024 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
VLVanda Leipold
Vanda Leipold
IAIvana Alerić
Ivana Alerić
MMMihaela Mlinaric
Mihaela Mlinaric
DKDomagoj Kosmina
Domagoj Kosmina
FSFran Stanić
Fran Stanić
DSDragan Schwarz
Dragan Schwarz
Image-guided radiotherapy supported by surface guidance can help to track lower lung lesions’ respiratory motion while reducing a patient’s exposure to ionizing radiation. However, it is not always clear how the skin’s respiratory motion magnitude and its correlation with the lung lesion’s respiratory motion vary between different skin regions of interest (ROI). Four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) images provide information on both the skin and lung respiratory motion and are routinely acquired for the purpose of treatment planning in our institution. An analysis of 4DCT images for 57 patients treated in our institution has been conducted to provide information on the respiratory motion magnitudes of nine skin ROIs of the torso, a tracking structure (TS) representing a lower lung lobe lesion, as well as the respiratory motion correlations between the nine ROIs and the TS. The effects of gender and the adipose tissue volume and distribution on these correlations and magnitudes have been analyzed. Significant differences between the ROIs in both the respiratory motion magnitudes and their correlations with the TS have been detected. An overall negative correlation between the ROI respiratory magnitudes and the adipose tissue has been detected for ROIs with rib cage support. A weak to moderate negative correlation between the adipose tissue volume and ROI-to-TS respiratory correlations has been detected for upper thorax ROIs. The respiratory magnitudes in regions without rib support tend to be larger for men than for women, but no differences in the ROI-to-TS correlation between sexes have been detected. The described findings should be considered when choosing skin surrogates for lower lung lesion motion management.

13 June 2024 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
VLVanda Leipold
Vanda Leipold
IAIvana Alerić
Ivana Alerić
MMMihaela Mlinaric
Mihaela Mlinaric
DKDomagoj Kosmina
Domagoj Kosmina
FSFran Stanić
Fran Stanić
DSDragan Schwarz
Dragan Schwarz
Image-guided radiotherapy supported by surface guidance can help track lower lung lesion respiratory motion while reducing a patient’s exposure to ionizing radiation. However, it is not always clear how skin respiratory motion magnitudes and correlations with lung lesion respiratory motion vary between different skin regions of interest (ROI). Four-dimensional Computed Tomography (4DCT) images provide information on both skin and lung respiratory motion and are routinely acquired for the purpose of treatment planning in our institution. Analysis of 4DCT images for 57 patients treated in our institution has been conducted to provide information on respiratory motion magnitudes of nine skin ROIs of the torso, a tracking structure (TS) representing lower lung lobe lesion, as well as respiratory motion correlations between nine ROIs and TS. The effects of gender and adipose tissue volume and distribution on these correlations and magnitudes have been analyzed. Significant differences between ROIs in both respiratory motion magnitudes and correlations to TS have been detected. An overall negative correlation between ROI respiratory magnitudes and the adipose tissue has been detected for ROIs with rib cage support. A weak to moderate negative correlation between adipose tissue volume and ROI-to-TS respiratory correlations has been detected for upper thorax ROIs. Respiratory magnitudes in regions without rib support tended to be larger for men than for women, but no differences in ROI-to-TS correlation between sexes have been detected. Described findings should be considered when choosing skin surrogates for lower lung lesion motion management.

1 June 2026 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MLMatea Lekic
Matea Lekic
HKHrvoje Kaučić
Hrvoje Kaučić
DKDomagoj Kosmina
Domagoj Kosmina
IPIvan Prološčić
Ivan Prološčić
GUGiovanni Ursi
Giovanni Ursi
DVDamir Vučinić
Damir Vučinić
Background/Objectives: Metastatic melanoma increasingly includes clinical scenarios in which metastasis-directed treatment may complement systemic immunotherapy, particularly in oligometastatic disease. We evaluated outcomes of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) combined with immunotherapy in patients with metastatic melanoma, focusing on local control, survival, treatment sequencing, and safety. Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, 63 patients underwent SBRT for 97 extracranial metastatic lesions while receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. The primary endpoint was local control (LC), while secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related toxicity. Results: LC rates at 12, 24, and 36 months were 95.9%, 89.7%, and 89.7%, respectively, demonstrating durable long-term control of treated lesions. Median OS was 47 months, while median PFS was not reached. A numerical trend toward longer PFS was observed among patients receiving SBRT during immunotherapy, although the differences were not statistically significant. No significant differences in LC were identified across oligometastatic disease subcategories. Combined treatment was well tolerated, with predominantly low-grade toxicity and no signal of increased immune-related adverse events. Conclusions: SBRT combined with immunotherapy appears to be a feasible and effective metastasis-directed treatment strategy in selected patients with metastatic melanoma. Durable local control, encouraging survival outcomes, and favorable tolerability support further prospective studies to optimize treatment sequencing and the integration of local and systemic therapies.

20 November 2025 in Radiation
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
DVDamir Vučinić
Damir Vučinić
MLMatea Lekic
Matea Lekic
MMMihaela Mlinaric
Mihaela Mlinaric
GUGiovanni Ursi
Giovanni Ursi
NŠNikola Šegedin
Nikola Šegedin
DSDragan Schwarz
Dragan Schwarz
Online adaptive radiotherapy mitigates errors in absorbed dose delivery due to daily anatomical changes during hypofractionated breast treatment, particularly when comprehensive nodal therapy includes the internal mammary chain. To illustrate this, we present a case of a 65-year-old woman with left-sided luminal B invasive carcinoma, who underwent segmentectomy and level 1–2 dissection. Pathology revealed an 18 × 15 × 13 mm primary tumor with lymphovascular invasion, two of eleven axillary nodes positive, and intramammary metastasis, staged pT1cN1a. She received adjuvant docetaxel–cyclophosphamide followed by letrozole. Hypofractionated radiotherapy (40 Gy in 15 fractions) was administered in an inspiration breath-hold setting using a CBCT-guided online-adaptive platform. Adaptive planning improved V95% coverage over the planned treatment for all targets: on average, whole breast coverage increased from 88.4% to 96.3%, supraclavicular from 93.0% to 97.1%, axilla from 90.6% to 96.7%, and internal mammary from 91.8% to 95.9%. Organ-at-risk metrics remained within limits: the mean heart dose increased slightly (from an average of 0.12 Gy in scheduled to 0.15 Gy in adaptive plans). At the same time, the LAD D0.03 cm3 decreased, and the heart V4 Gy fell modestly (from 13.3% in the scheduled plan to 8.2% in the adaptive plan), reflecting low-dose redistribution without exceeding constraints. Lung and thyroid mean doses remained comparable. The patient tolerated treatment well, with no acute toxicity or local recurrence. This case highlights the importance of daily adaptation for complex left-sided radiation treatment involving internal mammary nodes, demonstrating target recovery without exceeding absorbed dose constraints and supporting future studies on control, toxicity, and quality of life.

20 October 2026 in Current Oncology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
GUGiovanni Ursi
Giovanni Ursi
MLMatea Lekic
Matea Lekic
HKHrvoje Kaučić
Hrvoje Kaučić
AKAleksandar Kovačević
Aleksandar Kovačević
DKDomagoj Kosmina
Domagoj Kosmina
DVDamir Vučinić
Damir Vučinić
Ultrahypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy reduces treatment burden but increases the importance of accurate dose delivery at each fraction. This retrospective single-center study evaluated cone-beam computed tomography-guided online adaptive radiotherapy in 55 patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with 26 or 27 Gy in five fractions. Dosimetric analysis was available for 52 patients and 259 paired scheduled and adapted fractions. Linear mixed-effects models with a patient-specific random intercept were used to account for repeated fractions within individual patients. The adapted plan was selected for 242 out of 260 delivered fractions (93.1%). Mean planning target volume V95% increased from 93.52 ± 2.94% with the scheduled plan to 98.13 ± 1.04% with adaptation (p < 0.001), with reduced interfraction variability. Ipsilateral lung V30% increased modestly from 13.94% to 14.96% (p < 0.001). In left-sided cases, no significant differences were observed for heart V25% (1.400% vs. 1.395%; p = 0.3825) or left anterior descending coronary artery D0.03 cm3 (1.771 vs. 1.873 Gy; p = 0.1390). Acute grade 1 toxicity occurred in five patients (9.1%), with no grade ≥ 2 events. Mean treatment-session duration was 28 min. Online adaptation significantly improved daily target coverage and was technically feasible within a five-fraction whole-breast workflow. Acute toxicity was limited in this cohort, while longer follow-up and cumulative dose analyses are needed to further define its impact on organ-at-risk exposure and clinical outcomes.