Clinical Research Directory

Pneumonitis Prevention Protocol Using Pentoxifylline and α-tocopherol In Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemoradiation

Currently, the standard of care treatment for newly diagnosed, inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer is radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent chemotherapy, followed by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). RT is a highly effect local treatment. However, high doses of radiation used in curative settings can cause adverse side effects. The most common RT side effect in lung cancer is Radiation Induced Lung Injury (RILI), which can manifest as pneumonitis and/or pulmonary fibrosis. Lung injury can negatively impact patients' well-being and quality of life, and may lead to increased mortality. Risk of lung injury is particularly increased when patients are treated with a combination of treatments (i.e., RT, chemotherapy, and ICI). The drug Pentoxifylline (in combination with α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E)) has been shown to prevent/alter the progression of lung injury and there is a growing body of evidence to support the safety and efficacy of phosphodiesterase inhibitors in cancer treatment. The proposed study aims to determine if the addition of Pentoxifylline, given in combination with α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E), to standard of care treatment will reduce side effects related to lung injury and improve quality of life in this study population.

Dosimetric Comparison of Target Volume, Heart and Left Lung in Post Mastectomy Radiotherapy (RT) of Left Sided Breast Cancer by Free Breathing (FB) Versus Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) Technique

Breast cancer is a leading cancer among Bangladeshi female. For breast cancer, there are different available treatment options according to the stage of disease. One of the important ones is radiotherapy (RT). Various side effects can occur during and after RT. Among the late side effects, numerous cardiac and pulmonary problems are significant specially in case of left sided breast cancer. In such cases, patients are being cured from cancer but the treatment itself endangering patients' general health and wellbeing by increasing risk of future life threatening cardiac and pulmonary diseases. Studies from around the world have shown that, during RT of left sided breast cancer, holding the breath for certain time after deep inspiration can reduce the radiation doses to heart and left lung without compromising doses to the chest wall. As a result, they can avoid the extra risk of treatment related late toxicities. This study will look at the utility and efficacy of Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) RT over free breathing (FB) RT in reducing the heart and left lung doses without compromising the dose to the target volumes in left sided post mastectomy breast cancer patient, which is the main objective of this study.