Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Gynecologic Malignancies—A Peek into the Upcoming Evidence
Radiotherapy (RT) has a fundamental role in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies, including cervical and uterine cancers. Hypofractionated RT has gained popularity in many cancer sites, boosted by technological advances in treatment delivery and image verification. Hypofractionated RT uptake wa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/2/362 |
| _version_ | 1797344417464451072 |
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| author | Razan Amjad Nataliya Moldovan Hamid Raziee Eric Leung David D’Souza Lucas C. Mendez |
| author_facet | Razan Amjad Nataliya Moldovan Hamid Raziee Eric Leung David D’Souza Lucas C. Mendez |
| author_sort | Razan Amjad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Radiotherapy (RT) has a fundamental role in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies, including cervical and uterine cancers. Hypofractionated RT has gained popularity in many cancer sites, boosted by technological advances in treatment delivery and image verification. Hypofractionated RT uptake was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic and has the potential to improve universal access to radiotherapy worldwide, especially in low-resource settings. This review summarizes the rationale, the current challenges and investigation efforts, together with the recent developments associated with hypofractionated RT in gynecologic malignancies. A comprehensive search was undertaken using multiple databases and ongoing trial registries. In the definitive radiotherapy setting for cervical cancers, there are several ongoing clinical trials from Canada, Mexico, Iran, the Philippines and Thailand investigating the role of a moderate hypofractionated external beam RT regimen in the low-risk locally advanced population. Likewise, there are ongoing ultra and moderate hypofractionated RT trials in the uterine cancer setting. One Canadian prospective trial of stereotactic hypofractionated adjuvant RT for uterine cancer patients suggested a good tolerance to this treatment strategy in the acute setting, with a follow-up trial currently randomizing patients between conventional fractionation and the hypofractionated dose regimen delivered in the former trial. Although not yet ready for prime-time use, hypofractionated RT could be a potential solution to several challenges that limit access to and the utilization of radiotherapy for gynecologic cancer patients worldwide. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:03:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5868898a2f1f4885a9f15e5b2374e3b8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:03:14Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-5868898a2f1f4885a9f15e5b2374e3b82024-01-26T15:36:30ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942024-01-0116236210.3390/cancers16020362Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Gynecologic Malignancies—A Peek into the Upcoming EvidenceRazan Amjad0Nataliya Moldovan1Hamid Raziee2Eric Leung3David D’Souza4Lucas C. Mendez5Department of Radiation Oncology, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh 25732, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, BC Cancer, Kelowna, BC V1Y 5L3, CanadaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, BC Cancer, Kelowna, BC V1Y 5L3, CanadaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, CanadaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, CanadaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, CanadaRadiotherapy (RT) has a fundamental role in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies, including cervical and uterine cancers. Hypofractionated RT has gained popularity in many cancer sites, boosted by technological advances in treatment delivery and image verification. Hypofractionated RT uptake was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic and has the potential to improve universal access to radiotherapy worldwide, especially in low-resource settings. This review summarizes the rationale, the current challenges and investigation efforts, together with the recent developments associated with hypofractionated RT in gynecologic malignancies. A comprehensive search was undertaken using multiple databases and ongoing trial registries. In the definitive radiotherapy setting for cervical cancers, there are several ongoing clinical trials from Canada, Mexico, Iran, the Philippines and Thailand investigating the role of a moderate hypofractionated external beam RT regimen in the low-risk locally advanced population. Likewise, there are ongoing ultra and moderate hypofractionated RT trials in the uterine cancer setting. One Canadian prospective trial of stereotactic hypofractionated adjuvant RT for uterine cancer patients suggested a good tolerance to this treatment strategy in the acute setting, with a follow-up trial currently randomizing patients between conventional fractionation and the hypofractionated dose regimen delivered in the former trial. Although not yet ready for prime-time use, hypofractionated RT could be a potential solution to several challenges that limit access to and the utilization of radiotherapy for gynecologic cancer patients worldwide.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/2/362hypofractionated radiotherapygynecologic malignanciescervical canceruterine canceruniversal access to radiotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Razan Amjad Nataliya Moldovan Hamid Raziee Eric Leung David D’Souza Lucas C. Mendez Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Gynecologic Malignancies—A Peek into the Upcoming Evidence Cancers hypofractionated radiotherapy gynecologic malignancies cervical cancer uterine cancer universal access to radiotherapy |
| title | Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Gynecologic Malignancies—A Peek into the Upcoming Evidence |
| title_full | Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Gynecologic Malignancies—A Peek into the Upcoming Evidence |
| title_fullStr | Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Gynecologic Malignancies—A Peek into the Upcoming Evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Gynecologic Malignancies—A Peek into the Upcoming Evidence |
| title_short | Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Gynecologic Malignancies—A Peek into the Upcoming Evidence |
| title_sort | hypofractionated radiotherapy in gynecologic malignancies a peek into the upcoming evidence |
| topic | hypofractionated radiotherapy gynecologic malignancies cervical cancer uterine cancer universal access to radiotherapy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/2/362 |
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