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2. Sequencing of chemotherapy in total neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer does not predict radiation-induced lymphopeniaMiha Oražem, Vaneja Velenik, Alojz Ihan, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Radiation-induced lymphopenia (RIL) is associated with an increased risk of death in solid tumors, including rectal cancer. The aim of this study was to determine whether the sequencing of chemotherapy in total neoadjuvant treatment (TNT) for rectal cancer predicts the development of RIL. Patients and methods We analyzed acute hematologic toxicity data from 53 patients who underwent TNT for locally or locoregionally advanced rectal cancer between July 2022 and April 2023. Twenty-eight patients received induction chemotherapy with capecitabine and oxaliplatin [CAPOX], and 25 received consolidation chemotherapy (6 cycles of CAPOX in both groups). The chemoradiation protocol consisted of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy with Simultaneous Integrated Boost Radiotherapy (VMAT-SIB RT) up to 48.4 Gy in 22 fractions, concomitantly with capecitabine twice a day (lat. bis in die, BID). The Mann-Whitney U test was performed to compare RIL between the two patient groups. Pelvic bone marrow was contoured as a non-limiting organ-at-risk to assess the received dose, and binary logistic regression was used to determine whether RIL depends on V5Gy~V42Gy or the planning target volume (PTV) size. Results Thirty-four patients (64.2%) developed RIL of any grade, which was not significantly associated with either the induction or consolidation chemotherapy TNT regimen (Wald = 3.159, p = 0.076). No significant differences were found in neutrophil counts or the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. In the logistic regression model predicting the likelihood of RIL, two variables were statistically significant: V10Gy (Wald = 4.366, p = 0.037) and V30Gy (Wald = 6.084, p = 0.014). These results indicate that V10Gy< 71% and V30Gy< 26.6% may reduce the likelihood of developing RIL. Conclusions In our study, the sequencing of chemotherapy in TNT for rectal cancer did not predict the development of RIL. However, the incidence of RIL may be reduced by applying RT dosimetric constraints to the pelvic bone marrow.
Keywords: radiation-induced lymphopenia, rectal cancer, total neoadjuvant treatment
Published in DiRROS: 26.11.2025; Views: 711; Downloads: 145
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3. PET/CT and MR improve interobserver agreement in primary tumor determination for radiotherapy in esophageal squamous cell cancerAjra Šečerov Ermenc, Primož Peterlin, Vaneja Velenik, Ana Jeromen, Jasna But-Hadžić, Franc Anderluh, Barbara Šegedin, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate interobserver variability in the determination of the primary tumor for radiotherapy treatment planning in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: Sixteen patients with locally advanced ESCC were included in the analysis. In all patients positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PETC/CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) scans for radiotherapy planning were performed. Five experienced radiation oncologists delineated the primary tumor based on CT alone, MR alone, PET/CT, CT with fused MR and PET/CT with fused MR. Mean tumor volumes were calculated for each patient and imaging modality. The generalized conformity index (CIgen) was calculated to assess agreement in tumor determination. Results: The mean tumor volumes and CIgen for CT alone, MR alone, PET/CT, CT with fused MR and PET/CT with fused MR were 33.1 cm3, 30.2 cm3, 38.1 cm3, 31.9 cm3, 36.2 cm3 and 0.59, 0.64, 0.66, 0.63, 0.71, respectively. CIgen was significantly higher using PET/CT with fused MR compared to CT (p < 0.001) and PET/CT (p = 0.002) and using PET/CT compared to CT (alone) (p = 0.003). Conclusions: Our study showed higher agreement in primary tumor determination in ESCC using PET/CT compared to CT alone. Higher agreement was also found using PET/CT with fused MR compared to CT alone and PET/CT.
Keywords: magnetic resonance, positron emission tomography, squamous cell carcinoma, primary tumor
Published in DiRROS: 26.11.2025; Views: 527; Downloads: 259
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4. Kapecitabin med obsevanjem : bolnikov dnevnikJanja Ocvirk, Vaneja Velenik, Irena Oblak, Franc Anderluh, Jasna But-Hadžić, Ajra Šečerov Ermenc, Martina Reberšek, Marko Boc, Jernej Benedik, Zvezdana Hlebanja, Neva Volk, Tanja Mesti, 2014, not set Keywords: citostatiki, kapecitabin, bolniki, obsevanje
Published in DiRROS: 02.09.2025; Views: 562; Downloads: 223
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5. Priporočila za sistemsko onkološko in radioterapevtsko zdravljenje rakov biliarnega traktaErik Brecelj, Martina Reberšek, Ajra Šečerov Ermenc, Vesna Zadnik, Maja Ebert Moltara, Nežka Hribernik, Peter Korošec, Tanja Mesti, Janja Ocvirk, Franc Anderluh, Marko Boc, Marija Ignjatović, Ana Jeromen, Irena Oblak, Vaneja Velenik, Jelena Azarija, Neva Volk, Nena Golob, 2025, professional article Abstract: Raki biliarnega trakta so redka in heterogena skupina z naraščajočo incidenco in visoko umrljivostjo. Imajo slabo prognozo s celokupnim preživetjem manj od 1 leta. Nova dognanja o molekularno genetski heterogenosti rakov biliarnega trakta in novi terapevtskih pristopi omogočajo tem bolnikom daljša preživetja in boljšo kvaliteto življenja. V Priporočilih so predstavljena najnovejša priporočila za sistemsko onkološko zdravljenje in radioterapijo te skupine rakov, med katere po mednarodnih propročilih sedaj prištevamo karcinom žolčnika, intrahepatalne holangiokarcinome in ekstrahepatične holangiokarcinome, s perihilarnim holangiokarcinomom in karcinomom distalnega žolčevoda. Priporočila za sistemsko zdravljenje so povzeta in pripravljena na podlagi mednarodnih priporočil, ameriških, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) in evropskih, Evropskega združenja za internistično onkologijo – European Society of Medical oncology (ESMO).
Keywords: raki biliarnega trakta, sistemsko zdravljenje, priporočila
Published in DiRROS: 18.07.2025; Views: 791; Downloads: 324
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6. Preoperative intensity-modulated chemoradiotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost in rectal cancer : five-year follow-up results of a phase II studyJasna But-Hadžić, Anja Meden Boltežar, Tina Škerl, Vesna Zadnik, Vaneja Velenik, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: We conducted a phase II study to investigate the feasibility and safety of preoperative radiochemo-therapy experimental fractionation, using intensity-modulated radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost (IMRT SIB) to shorten the overall treatment time without dose escalation in intermediate/locally advanced rectal cancer with the aim to improving treatment outcome.Patients and methods. A total of 51 patients with operable stage II–III rectal carcinoma were included between January 2014 and January 2015. Fifty patients completed preoperative IMRT treatment with an elective dose of 41.8 Gy and simultaneously delivered 46.2 Gy to T2/T3 and 48.4 Gy to T4 tumour in 22 fractions, with concomitant capecit-abine (825 mg/m2/12 h, including at weekends). Median follow-up was 70 months (range 11–80 m).Results. Forty-seven patients completed treatment per protocol. Acute toxicity occurred in 2 (4%) patients. R0 resec-tion was achieved in all but 1 and pathologic complete response (pCR) in 12 (25.5%) patients who had 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and local control (LC) of 91.7%, 100% and 100%, respectively. The intention-to-treat analysis showed that the type of surgery significantly moderated OS and DFS, while total downstaging and pN were predictive for DFS only. For treatment per protocol 5-year OS, DFS and LC were 80.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 69.7–92.1), 77.1% (95% CI 65.1–89.1) and 95.2% (95% CI 88.7–100), respectively. The proportion of patients with severe late (CTCAE G ≥ 3) gastrointestinal, urinary and sexual toxicity was 15%, 2% and 8% respectively, with one reported secondary carcinoma.
Keywords: rectal cancer, IMRT, simultaneous integrated boost, preoperative radiochemotherapy, acute toxicity
Published in DiRROS: 23.07.2024; Views: 1258; Downloads: 405
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7. Influence of concurrent capecitabine based chemoradiotherapy with bevacizumab on the survival rate, late toxicity and health-related quality of life in locally advanced rectal cancer : a prospective phase II CRAB trialVaneja Velenik, Vesna Zadnik, Mirko Omejc, Jan Grosek, Mojca Tuta, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: Few studies reported early results on efficacy, toxicity of combined modality treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) by adding bevacizumab to preoperative chemoradiotherapy, but long-term data on survival, and late complications are lacking. Further, none of the studies reported on the assessment of quality of life (QOL). Patients and methods. After more than 5 years of follow-up, we updated the results of our previous phase II trial in 61 patients with LARC treated with neoadjuvant capecitabine, radiotherapy and bevacizumab (CRAB study) before surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Secondary endpoints of updated analysis were local control (LC), disease free (DFS) and overall survival (OS), late toxicity and longitudinal health related QOL (before starting the treatment and one year after the treatment) with questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CR38. Results. Median follow-up was 67 months. During the follow-up period, 16 patients (26.7%) died. The 5-year OS, DFS and LC rate were 72.2%, 70% and 92.4%. Patients with pathological positive nodes or pathological T3%4 tumors had significantly worse survival than patients with pathological negative nodes or T0%2 tumors. Nine patients (14.8%) developed grade % 3 late complications of combined modality treatment, first event 12 months and last 87 months after operation (median time 48 months). Based on EORTC QLQ-C30 scores one year after treatment there were no significant changes in global QOL and three symptoms (pain, insomnia and diarrhea), but physical and social functioning significantly decreased. Based on QLQ-CR38 scores body image scores significantly increase, problems with weight loss significantly decrease, but sexual dysfunction in men and chemotherapy side effects significantly increase. Conclusions. Patients with LARC and high risk factors, such as positive pathological lymph nodes and high pathological T stage, deserve more aggressive treatment in the light of improving long-term survival results. Patients after multimodality treatment should be given greater attention to the regulation of individual aspects of quality of life and the occurrence of late side effects.
Keywords: rectal cancer, bevacizumab, preoperative chemoradiotherapy
Published in DiRROS: 15.07.2024; Views: 1283; Downloads: 449
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8. Definitive radiochemotherapy in esophageal cancer : a single institution experienceFranc Anderluh, Miha Toplak, Vaneja Velenik, Irena Oblak, Ajra Šečerov Ermenc, Ana Jeromen, Jasna But-Hadžić, Marija Skoblar Vidmar, 2019, original scientific article Keywords: radiochemotherapy, definitive radiochemotherapy, esophageal cancer
Published in DiRROS: 05.07.2024; Views: 1288; Downloads: 394
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9. Total neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer with high risk factors in SloveniaMojca Tuta, Nina Boc, Erik Brecelj, Mirko Omejc, Franc Anderluh, Ajra Šečerov Ermenc, Ana Jeromen, Irena Oblak, Bojan Krebs, Vaneja Velenik, 2019, original scientific article Keywords: total neoadjuvant treatment, radiochemotherapy, rectal cancer
Published in DiRROS: 05.07.2024; Views: 1307; Downloads: 477
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