Brian D. Kavanagh, MD, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, summarizes three papers: outcomes for locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer, 3D CRT vs image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy for reducing bowel toxicity, and dexamethasone for controlling pain flares in patients with bone metastases (Abstracts 2, 8, LBA6663).
Anita Mahajan, MD, of MD Anderson Cancer Center, summarizes results from three clinical trials on radiation therapy for ependymoma, locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and meningioma (Abstracts 31, 1, 7).
Anthony Zietman, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses his perspective on the study of bicalutamide during and after radiotherapy in patients following radical prostatectomy and a biochemical relapse (Abstract LBA5).
Howard M. Sandler, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, discusses how adding 24 months of daily antiandrogen therapy during and after radiotherapy was shown to significantly improve long-term overall survival following prostate cancer recurrence after a radical prostatectomy (Abstract LBA5).
Alysa M. Fairchild, MD, of the Cross Cancer Institute and the University of Alberta, discusses her study on the use of dexamethasone to reduce pain flare in patients receiving palliative radiotherapy for bone metastases (Abstract LBA6663).
Jay Harris, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, discusses the difficulty reconciling recent important trials on radiotherapy for breast cancer: The Z11 trial suggested that breast tangents are sufficient, while MA.20 and EORTC studies suggested that full nodal irradiation is beneficial.
