The EMBRACE II study: The outcome and prospect of two decades of evolution within the GEC-ESTRO GYN working group and the EMBRACE studies

Richard Potter, Kari Tanderup*, Christian Kirisits, Astrid de Leeuw, Kathrin Kirchheiner, Remi Nout, Li Tee Tan, Christine Haie-Meder, Umesh Mahantshetty, Barbara Segedin, Peter Hoskin, Kjersti Bruheim, Bhavana Rai, Fleur Huang, Erik Van Limbergen, Max Schmid, Nicole Nesvacil, Alina Sturdza, Lars Fokdal, Nina Boje Kibsgaard JensenDietmar Georg, Marianne Assenholt, Yvette Seppenwoolde, Christel Nomden, Israel Fortin, Supriya Chopra, Uulke van der Heide, Tamara Rumpold, Jacob Christian Lindegaard, Ina Jurgenliemk-Schulz, Isabelle Dumas, Cyrus Chargari, Jamema Swamidas, Shyam Kishore Shrivastava, Gerry Lowe, Robert Hudej, Taran Paulsen Hellebust, Geetha Menon, Arun S. Oinam, Rachel Cooper, Peter Bownes, Elzbieta Van der Steen Banasik, Marit Sundset, Bradley Pieters, Ludy C. H. W. Lutgens, Elena Villafranca, Janaki Hadjiev, Francois Bachand, Beth Erickson, Geraldine Jacobson, EMBRACE Collaborative Grp

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal(Systematic) Review article peer-review

Abstract

The publication of the GEC-ESTRO recommendations one decade ago was a significant step forward for reaching international consensus on adaptive target definition and dose reporting in image guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT) in locally advanced cervical cancer. Since then, IGABT has been spreading, particularly in Europe, North America and Asia, and the guidelines have proved their broad acceptance and applicability in clinical practice. However, a unified approach to volume contouring and reporting does not imply a unified administration of treatment, and currently both external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and IGABT are delivered using a large variety of techniques and prescription/fractionation schedules. With IGABT, local control is excellent in limited and well-responding tumours. The major challenges are currently loco-regional control in advanced tumours, treatment-related morbidity, and distant metastatic disease. Emerging evidence from the RetroEMBRACE and EMBRACE I studies has demonstrated that clinical outcome is related to dose prescription and technique. The next logical step is to demonstrate excellent clinical outcome with the most advanced EBRT and brachytherapy techniques based on an evidence-based prospective dose and volume prescription protocol. The EMBRACE II study is an interventional and observational multicentre study which aims to benchmark a high level of local, nodal and systemic control while limiting morbidity, using state of the art treatment including an advanced target volume selection and contouring protocol for EBRT and brachytherapy, a multi-parametric brachytherapy dose prescription protocol (clinical validation of dose constraints), and use of advanced EBRT (IMRT and IGRT) and brachytherapy (IC/IS) techniques (clinical validation). The study also incorporates translational research including imaging and tissue biomarkers. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)48-60
Number of pages13
JournalClinical and Translational Radiation Oncology
Volume9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2018

Keywords

  • Cervix cancer
  • Brachytherapy
  • Adaptive radiotherapy
  • MRI guided radiotherapy
  • Local control
  • Morbidity
  • GUIDED ADAPTIVE BRACHYTHERAPY
  • ADVANCED CERVICAL-CANCER
  • DOSE-VOLUME PARAMETERS
  • RATE INTRACAVITARY BRACHYTHERAPY
  • MODULATED RADIATION-THERAPY
  • EXTERNAL-BEAM RADIOTHERAPY
  • STANDARDIZED UPTAKE VALUE
  • CARBON ION RADIOTHERAPY
  • LATE RECTAL TOXICITY
  • QUALITY-OF-LIFE

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