Dear All,
Let me present the Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy’s second issue of 2022. I hoped for the post-COVID-19 2022 year to gradually return to so-called ‘regular activity’. My thoughts were bound to the forthcoming ESTRO 2022, which I eagerly await. And yet, we face another crisis. One could say it is not my or our business. But it is simply not true. The war in Ukraine directly touches neighboring countries. The political and economic consequences of the events spread worldwide like a thunderbolt. We opened our hearts and homes to refugees: elderly, women, and children (men stayed or returned to Ukraine). We also opened our hospitals for those who need treatment, especially in oncology. The problem is not imagined. Currently, I deal with patients who need treatment continuing, once their hospitals were… bombed, burned, destroyed.
By chance, the issue open with an excellent paper on HDR-BT for skin cancer (BCC and SCC) submitted by Serhii Brovchuk et al. (the first submission from Kyiv, Ukraine). They treated 751 patients and achieved 96% LC, with low toxicity and good cosmetic results. Congratulations! The paper was accepted on February 9, two weeks before the inexplicable invasion started, and still causing disastrous consequences.
The JCB 2/2022 issue contains eight diverse clinical papers, three physics contributions, one case report, and one excellent educational article (refer to a separate Educational Corner Editorial). A second paper by Masaru Konishi et al. (Hiroshima, Japan) presents a unique investigation on the gold-198 radioactive grain sources displacement in patients with oral cancer. The following two articles focus on uveal melanoma (UM). Neil Chevli et al. (Galveston, USA) looked into contemporary trends in UM management across the United States. They revealed that a fraction of patients, who should be candidates for eye plaque BT, are instead receiving enucleation. They showed certain adverse demographic factors associated with this fact. In a second article, also from Texas (USA), Andrew J. Wong et al. present three-year outcomes of UM treated with intra-operative ultrasound-guided iodine-125 BT using custom-built eye plaques, achieving excellent local control.
The consecutive set of three manuscripts relate to iodine-125 utility in pancreatic cancer palliative treatment (Baohu Wang et al., China), in management of adrenal metastases (Yingwen Hou et al., China), and in the treatment of localized prostate cancer (Makoto Nakiri et al., Japan).
The last and interesting clinical paper is a retrospective study on 1,107 interstitial catheter placements. Christine March et al. (Magdeburg, Germany) studied the needle track seeding in colorectal carcinoma after local ablation by HDR-BT.
Next, three physics contributions. First, the American group from Cleveland evaluated the Venezia applicator with vaginal caps and found that it has a significant impact on the target’s small volume and high-dose DVH parameters. They recommend applicator contour exclusion for dosimetric evaluation when the Venezia applicator is used. In the latter work, Mona Malekzadeh Moghani et al. (Teheran, Iran) assessed the correlation between dose to pelvic lymph nodes and point B, with tandem-ring applicators for intra-cavitary BT treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. They concluded that point B could not be a reliable substitute for common and external iliac chains. In the third physics’ paper, Walter Assmann et al. (München, Germany) present their feasibility study and application test of a novel radioactive catheter for potential use in LDR-BT to prevent urethral stenosis. An interesting concept.
This issue single case report comes from Japan. Yoshiaki Takagawa et al. convince that HDR interstitial BT may be a suitable option for metastatic extra-skeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma. Brachytherapy may provide significant long-term control of the recurrent tumor without severe acute and late toxicities.
Have a pleasant and inspiring reading, and stay in peace.
Yours sincerely,
Adam Chicheł, MD, PhD
Editor-in-Chief,
Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy
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