Background: Over the past decades, remarkable advancements in systemic drug therapy have improved the prognosis of patients with bone metastases. Individualization is required in external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for bone metastases according to the patient’s prognosis. To establish individualized EBRT for bone metastases, we investigated factors that affect the local control (LC) of bone metastases. Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2019, 536 patients received EBRT for 751 predominantly osteolytic bone metastases. LC at EBRT sites was evaluated with a follow-up computed tomography. The median EBRT dose was biologically effective dose (BED₁₀) (39.0) (range of BED₁₀: 14.4–71.7 Gy). Results: The median follow-up time and median time of computed tomography follow-up were 11 (range 1–123) months and 6 (range 1–119) months, respectively. The 0.5- and 1-year overall survival rates were 73% and 54%, respectively. The 0.5- and 1-year LC rates were 83% and 79%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, higher age (≥ 70 years), non-vertebral bone metastases, unfavorable primary tumor sites (esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatobiliary/pancreatic cancer, renal/ureter cancer, sarcoma, melanoma, and mesothelioma), lower EBRT dose (BED₁₀ < 39.0 Gy), and non-administration of bone-modifying agents (BMAs)/antineoplastic agents after EBRT were significantly unfavorable factors for LC of bone metastases. There was no statistically significant difference in the LC between BED₁₀ = 39.0 and BED₁₀ > 39.0 Gy. Conclusions: Regarding tumor-related factors, primary tumor sites and the sites of bone metastases were significant for the LC. As for treatment-related factors, lower EBRT doses (BED₁₀ < 39.0 Gy) and non-administration of BMAs/antineoplastic agents after EBRT were associated with poor LC. Dose escalation from BED₁₀ = 39.0 Gy did not necessarily improve LC.

We investigated the prognostic significance and treatment outcomes of pretreatment inflammatory response markers for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the external auditory canal (EAC) and middle ear (ME). Between July 2003 and July 2019, 21 patients with SCC of the EAC (n = 18) or ME (n = 3) who received radiotherapy with or without surgery or systemic therapy (radiotherapy alone [n = 2], radiotherapy + systemic therapy [n = 6], radiotherapy + surgery [n = 7], radiotherapy + surgery + systemic therapy [n = 6]) were retrospectively examined. The median radiation dose was 66.0 (range, 50.4–70.0) Gy, with daily fractions of 1.8–2.0 Gy. The median follow-up period was 25 months (range, 6–137). The two-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and locoregional control (LC) rates were 61%, 48%, and 55%, respectively. OS, PFS, and LC did not differ significantly according to patient- (age, sex), tumor- (Pittsburgh stage, pretreatment neurological findings), and treatment-related (surgery or systemic therapy, radiation dose, prophylactic neck irradiation) factors. Conversely, there were significant differences in OS, PFS, and LC between patients with high and low pretreatment C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratios (p = 0.002, 0.003, and 0.004, respectively). OS also differed significantly between patients with high and low pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (NLR; p = 0.037). Other inflammatory response markers, including platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR), did not influence OS, PFS, or LC. Our findings suggest that pretreatment C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio and NLRs have a significant impact on treatment outcomes in patients with locally advanced SCC of the EAC and ME.

Background This study aimed to evaluate the factors that affect the local control (LC) of bone metastases from radioresistant carcinomas (renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC], and colorectal carcinoma [CRC]) treated with palliative external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Methods and materials Between January 2010 and December 2020, 211 bone metastases in 134 patients were treated with EBRT in two hospitals (a cancer center and university hospital). Based on follow-up CT, these cases were reviewed retrospectively to evaluate LC at the EBRT site. Results The median EBRT dose (BED10) was 39.0 Gy (range, 14.4–66.3 Gy). The median follow-up time of the imaging studies was 6 months (range, 1–107 months). The 0.5-year overall survival and LC rates of the EBRT sites were 73% and 73%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that the primary sites (HCC/CRC), low EBRT dose (BED10) (≤ 39.0 Gy), and non-administration of post-EBRT bone modifying agents (BMAs) and/or antineoplastic agents (ATs) were statistically significant factors that negatively affected the LC of EBRT sites. In the absence of BMAs or ATs, the EBRT dose (BED10) escalation from 39.0 Gy improved the LC of EBRT sites. Based on ATs administration, the LC of EBRT sites was significantly affected by tyrosine kinase inhibitors and/or immune checkpoint inhibitors. Conclusions Dose escalation improves LC in bone metastases from radioresistant carcinomas. Higher EBRT doses are needed to treat patients for whom few effective systemic therapies remain available.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expected prognosis and factors affecting local control (LC) of the bone metastatic sites treated with palliative external beam radiotherapy (RT). Between December 2010 and April 2019, 420 cases (male/female = 240/180; median age [range]: 66 [12–90] years) with predominantly osteolytic bone metastases received RT and were evaluated. LC was evaluated by follow-up computed tomography (CT) image. Median RT doses (BED₁₀) were 39.0 Gy (range, 14.4–71.7 Gy). The 0.5-year overall survival and LC of RT sites were 71% and 84%, respectively. Local recurrence on CT images was observed in 19% (n = 80) of the RT sites, and the median recurrence time was 3.5 months (range, 1–106 months). In univariate analysis, abnormal laboratory data before RT (platelet count, serum albumin, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, or serum calcium level), high-risk primary tumor sites (colorectal, esophageal, hepatobiliary/pancreatic, renal/ureter, and non-epithelial cancers), no antineoplastic agents (ATs) administration after RT, and no bone modifying agents (BMAs) administration after RT were significantly unfavorable factors for both survival and LC of RT sites. Sex (male), performance status (≥3), and RT dose (BED₁₀) (<39.0 Gy) were significantly unfavorable factors for only survival, and age (≥70 years) and bone cortex destruction were significantly unfavorable factors for only LC of RT sites. In multivariate analysis, only abnormal laboratory data before RT influenced both unfavorable survival and LC of RT sites. Performance status (≥3), no ATs administration after RT, RT dose (BED₁₀) (<39.0 Gy), and sex (male) were significantly unfavorable factors for survival, and primary tumor sites and BMAs administration after RT were significantly unfavorable factors for LC of RT sites. In conclusion, laboratory data before RT was important factor both prognosis and LC of bone metastases treated with palliative RT. At least in patients with abnormal laboratory data before RT, palliative RT seemed to be focused on the only pain relief.