Radiology and Oncology最新文献

{"title":"Weekly measurement of HMGB1 during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer patients: correlations with MRI response and ctDNA.","authors":"Franziska Eckert, Vlatko Potkrajcic, Stephan Clasen, Elgin Hoffmann, Julian Taugner, Olga Seibel-Kelemen, Christopher Schroeder, Maximilian Niyazi, Kerstin Clasen","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0033","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Biomarkers are desirable to characterize individual tumors and to personalize multimodal treatment in locally advanced rectal cancer patients. In this regard, monitoring of High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) protein in blood samples is of interest in radiotherapy as HMGB1 is a consensus marker for immunogenic cell death (ICD) during anticancer treatment.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>Plasma levels of HMGB1 were monitored weekly during long-term neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in 19 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. HMGB1 levels were correlated with outcome and tumor volumes in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pre-therapeutically as well as in week 2 and week 5 of treatment. Furthermore, the association with circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) was evaluated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Higher pre-therapeutic levels of HMGB1 correlated positively with bigger initial MRI volumes and higher allele frequencies of ctDNA in the corresponding baseline blood sample. Courses of HMGB1 during treatment were variable and mostly undulating. Predominant ascent was observed in four patients who showed poor pathologic response. Declining levels in week 2 / 3 were associated with bigger percentage decrease of MRI tumor volume at the end of week 2.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>HMGB1 seems to be associated mostly with tumor burden as indicated by correlation with MRI volumes and ctDNA levels, rather than ICD induction or side effects as previously reported. Changes during treatment might predict clinical disease course.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":"60 2","pages":"294-300"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307003/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148339859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prediction of Ki-67 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: a dual-center study based on T2-weighted imaging habitat analysis.","authors":"Xiaojun Zheng, Lihong Huang, Mengjie Huang, Bin Yu, Shiji Qin, Deyou Huang","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0032","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Limited research has applied habitat imaging to evaluate the association between T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2WI-MRI) features and Ki-67 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma HCC). This study aimed to link T2WI habitat-derived parameters to Ki-67 status and aggressiveness in HCC.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>This dual-center retrospective study, enrolled patients with pathologically confirmed HCC undergoing preoperative MRI (2020-2024). Using Ki-67 index cutoff (20%). Tumor habitat partitioning was performed using k-means clustering (k = 5), followed by extraction of both habitat-specific radiomic features and conventional whole-tumor features. Feature selection was conducted using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression with 10-fold cross-validation. Three predictive models were constructed with the ExtraTrees algorithm: a habitat model, a radiomics model, and a clinical model. Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), DeLong test, and decision curve analysis (DCA).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>T2WI-based habitat imaging enables a noninvasive assessment of intratumoral heterogeneity, significantly improving the prediction of Ki-67 expression status in HCC. This approach may provide a promising imaging biomarker for molecular subtyping and support personalized preoperative treatment strategies.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>T2WI habitat imaging enables improved Ki-67 prediction, supporting informed therapeutic decisions in HCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":"60 2","pages":"217-226"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307014/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148339805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques for structural and functional assessment of salivary glands.","authors":"Jernej Vidmar, Andrej Vovk","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0025","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Diagnostic paradigms for salivary gland disorders have undergone a radical transformation, shifting from purely morphological descriptions toward multi-parametric tissue characterization. This review evaluates the clinical efficacy of advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, specifically quantitative T2 mapping and arterial spin labelling (ASL), in order to provide objective biomarkers for glandular pathophysiology. The use of pseudocontinuous ASL (pCASL) for non-invasive perfusion assessment and multi-dynamic multi-echo (MDME) sequences for quantitative mapping was highlighted in a methodical synthesis of recent research. Quantitative T2 mapping demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy in identifying glandular dysfunction; patients with hyposalivation exhibit significantly elevated T2 relaxation times (mean 91.85 ± 8.24 ms) compared to healthy controls (mean 80.69 ± 6.42 ms, p < 0.0001). ASL imaging reveals that parotid glands in Sjögren's syndrome are hyperemic at rest (59.2 ± 22.8 mL/min/100g) but shows dysfunctional microvascular regulation after stimulation. Furthermore, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values effectively differentiate pleomorphic adenomas (> 1.4 × 10-3 mm²/s) from malignant lesions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Advanced MRI provides robust, non-invasive metrics for monitoring radiation-induced damage and assessing the restorative impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). By facilitating the shift to precision radiology in head and neck medicine, these technologies greatly improve patient quality of life and therapeutic planning.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"166-175"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307007/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147942368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CT-based 3D-printed coronary artery phantom for imaging projection education.","authors":"Laura Jursa, Masa Kramer, Anja Boc, Nejc Mekis","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0027","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Coronary artery disease is among the leading causes of death worldwide. The method of choice for coronary artery imaging is catheterization using real-time fluoroscopic images of coronary anatomy and pathology. The aim of the study was to create an anatomically accurate cardiac and coronary artery phantom suitable for learning and practicing image projections in invasive coronary angiography by using computed tomography (CT) image segmentation and 3D printing.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The development of an anatomically accurate heart phantom was carried out in several phases. In the first phase, the material for 3D printing was analysed and the best material with a similar attenuation coefficient to the heart muscle was selected. Then the segmentation of the heart was performed with the 3D Slicer software based on the CT scan. Afterward the phantom of the heart was developed. The anatomy professor of the medical faculty drew coronary arteries on the phantom. The mixture of metal powder (tungsten) and ultraviolet (UV) gel was used to draw the coronary arteries on the heart phantom. In the final stage, the phantom was verified by obtaining and comparing fluoroscopic images of the phantom to reference coronary angiograms from the literature.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>When comparing the images of the phantom with the images from the literature, we found that the phantom represents an anatomically correct course of the left and right coronary arteries.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>It can be concluded that the 3D printing technique can be used to develop an anatomically correct heart phantom with coronary arteries that can be used as a teaching tool for radiographers in fluoroscopic visualization of coronary arteries. Consequently, significantly contributing to a faster and safer practise.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"195-203"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147942398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of thyroid cyst sclerotherapy with polidocanol.","authors":"Ziga Mercun, Laura Martinjak, Edvard Pirnat, Simona Gaberscek, Katja Zaletel, Katica Bajuk Studen","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0024","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Simple cysts are a common form of thyroid nodules. If the cyst is symptomatic, recurs after fine needle aspiration or increases in size, sclerotherapy of the cyst is indicated. Polidocanol can be used as a sclerosing agent, but there are few studies evaluating the efficacy of polidocanol in the sclerotherapy of thyroid cysts.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>We conducted a clinical retrospective study in adult patients diagnosed with a simple thyroid cyst with largest diameter greater than 15 mm. Patients were treated with thyroid cyst sclerotherapy with polidocanol (group A, N = 36), ultrasound-guided fine-needle evacuation of the cyst (group B, N = 41) or they received no treatment and were managed only by follow-up (group C, N = 28). Thereafter, the size of the thyroid cyst at least 12 months after the baseline evaluation was recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The three groups of patients did not differ significantly in terms of gender, thyrotropin level, thyroid antibody positivity or thyroglobulin level. However, they differed significantly in age (46.5 ± 15.8 years for group A, 51.2 ± 17.4 years for group B and 65.8 ± 13.7 years for group C, p < 0.001). The three patient groups differed significantly in the initial volume of cysts (20.1 ± 13.8 mL for group A, 15.0 ± 17.8 mL for group B and 4.2 ± 4.5 mL for group C, p < 0.001). In groups A and B, the final volume of the cyst was significantly lower than the initial volume (7.6 ± 12.1 mL, p < 0.001, and 6.1 ± 10.4 mL, p < 0.001, respectively), but not in group C (5.3 ± 7.9 mL). There was no significant difference in final cyst volume between the three groups (p = 0.764).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results of our study show that sclerotherapy of thyroid cysts with polidocanol is an effective and safe method for the treatment of large thyroid cysts. Currently, such treatment is more commonly used in younger patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"282-287"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307002/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147942430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of complications between laparoscopic and open abdominal approaches in morbidly obese patients with early-stage endometrial carcinoma.","authors":"Ajda Kljajic, Branko Cvjeticanin, Borut Kobal, Matija Barbic, Spela Smrkolj, Ivan Verdenik, Mija Blaganje","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0021","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecological malignancy globally. Its rising incidence is closely linked to the increasing prevalence of morbid obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 40 kg/m²), which elevates the technical difficulty of surgery and the risk of perioperative complications. Identifying the optimal surgical approach is critical for this high-risk population.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>This retrospective study with prospectively collected data compared laparoscopic (LPSC) versus open abdominal (LAP) surgical approaches for low risk endometrioid carcinoma in morbidly obese patients. Data were collected over an eleven-year period (January 2013-December 2023) and included 73 patients (58 LPSC, 15 LAP) who met the inclusion criteria (BMI > 40 kg/m², low-grade, early-stage endometrioid carcinoma). Outcomes measured included operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, and intraoperative/postoperative complications, which were rigorously classified using the Clavien-Dindo system.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Baseline patient characteristics were comparable between the two groups. The LPSC group demonstrated significantly superior perioperative outcomes. The average postoperative hospital stay was markedly shorter in the LPSC group (4.5 days) compared to the LAP group (12.7 days). Furthermore, LPSC was associated with lower rates of reoperation, transfusions, and postoperative anemia. Crucially, LPSC resulted in a statistically lower occurrence of severe postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo Grade II and III).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>he laparoscopic approach offers clear and significant perioperative advantages over open abdominal surgery for morbidly obese patients with low-risk endometrial carcinoma. Given the improved safety profile, LPSC or robotic-assisted surgery should be established as the preferred initial surgical approach in these technically challenging cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"301-306"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307004/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147779496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Irreversible electroporation ablation with bipolar electrodes: ultrasound findings of ablation zones.","authors":"Linyu Zhou, Qiang Chen, Ju Li, Chengyue Zhang, Shengyong Yin, Min Xu, Tian'an Jiang","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0022","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aimed to explore the ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging characteristics and dimensions of ablation lesions after irreversible electroporation of the swine liver and to determine which imaging modality is more suitable for post-procedural follow-up by correlating imaging findings with histopathology.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Irreversible electroporation procedures were conducted on three swine with single bipolar electrodes. All procedures were carried out after laparotomy. Twenty-four ablation zones were created under ultrasound guidance. Ultrasound and CEUS evaluations were performed immediately and 48 h after irreversible electroporation. Liver specimens were harvested 48 h after irreversible electroporation for histopathological analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ablation area appeared as a hypoechoic, well-defined lesion on ultrasound and showed no enhancement on CEUS immediately after irreversible electroporation. At 48 h, the ablation zone appeared as an inhomogeneous hyperechoic area with a hyperechoic margin and blurred boundaries on ultrasound. CEUS clearly delineated the boundary of the ablation zone and demonstrated centripetal enhancement. The dimensions of the ablation area measured on CEUS 48 h after irreversible electroporation showed the highest correlation with the pathologic ablation zone size (length: r = 0.909, width: r = 0.942, p < 0.001), whereas ultrasound measurements showed the lowest correlation (length: r = 0.676, width: r = 0.842, p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Compared with conventional ultrasound, CEUS can accurately measure the dimension of the ablation area, especially 48 h after irreversible electroporation.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"253-261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307009/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147779526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical impact of trace elements as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction of response to systemic treatment in gastrointestinal cancers.","authors":"Martina Rebersek, Radmila Milacic Scancar, Janez Scancar, Nezka Hribernik","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2026-0023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Gastrointestinal cancers are among the most common malignancies worldwide and, at advanced stages, remain incurable. Currently used biomarkers, such as tumour markers, have limited diagnostic value for early detection and relapse, highlighting the urgent need for more sensitive and specific markers. Trace elements are involved in numerous physiological and metabolic processes, and deregulation of their homeostasis is implicated in the carcinogenesis of various cancers, including gastrointestinal malignancies. Several basic and preclinical studies have identified the importance of trace elements in key biological processes. Recent clinical studies and retrospective analyses suggest that fluctuations in trace element levels may be associated with the development and progression of many cancers. Thus, quantitative and dynamic determination of serum trace element concentrations during treatment and follow-up represents a promising option for monitoring treatment efficacy and disease prognosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Trace elements may serve as potential prognostic and predictive biomarkers for diagnosis and response to systemic treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147779457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation of quiescent-interval single-shot (QISS) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computed tomography angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) assessment.","authors":"Silva Breznik, Ales Slanic, Jernej Lucev","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0019","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cross-sectional imaging methods such as computed tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) are widely used for the assessment of peripheral arteries in patients with chronic limbthreatening ischemia (CLTI) or claudication. Given the limitations of CTA in evaluating heavily calcified vessels, we aimed to determine whether quiescent-interval single-shot (QISS) MRA provides better diagnostic agreement with digital subtraction angiography (DSA).</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>In this retrospective study, 25 patients who underwent lower limb QISS MRA between April 2022 and April 2024 were included. Thirteen patients also underwent CTA, and 19 underwent DSA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean patient age was 67 ± 12 years (range: 32-86), and 20 were male. CLTI was present in 12 patients (48%), and medial arterial calcification was noted in 7 patients (28%). A total of 450 segments were evaluated by QISS MRA, 229 by CTA, and 149 by DSA. Agreement for ≥ 50% stenosis/occlusion was moderate for QISS MRA <i>vs</i>. CTA (κ = 0.41) and QISS MRA <i>vs</i>. DSA (κ = 0.49), and moderate for CTA <i>vs</i>. DSA (κ = 0.57). In below-the-knee arteries, QISS MRA showed substantial agreement with DSA (κ = 0.61) and high sensitivity (86.2%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this small, exploratory cohort QISS MRA showed promising performance for segment-based assessment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), particularly in below-the-knee arteries in patients with medial arterial calcification, and outperformed CTA for the detection of ≥ 50% stenosis relative to DSA. Larger studies are needed to further establish its clinical utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"187-194"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147779510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adjuvant nivolumab in resected oesophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: Slovenian real-world data.","authors":"Nezka Hribernik, Rozala Arko, Gorana Gasljevic, Martina Rebersek","doi":"10.2478/raon-2026-0020","DOIUrl":"10.2478/raon-2026-0020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adjuvant nivolumab has become the new standard of care for patients with oesophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancer (OEC/GEJC) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neoCRT) and surgical resection. In Slovenia, this treatment has been in use since January 2022. Here, we report the first Slovenian real-world experience with adjuvant nivolumab.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective, observational cohort study of patients with OEC/GEJC who received adjuvant nivolumab after neoCRT and radical resection between January 2022 and December 2023. Data on patient characteristics, treatment completion, disease progression, and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were collected from medical records and analysed via descriptive statistics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 17 patients were included. The median follow-up was 34.6 months (range 11.2-55.7). The cohort included 14 (82%) males, with a mean age of 59 years. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status was 0 for 15 (88%) patients and 1 for 2 (12%) patients. The tumor location was the esophagus in 9 (53%) patients and the gastroesophageal junction in 8 (47%) patients. At diagnosis, 13 (76%) patients were stage III (8th TNM classification). Histology revealed adenocarcinoma (AC) in 12 (71%) patients and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in 5 (29%) patients. Only 6 (35%) patients completed one year of adjuvant nivolumab. Treatment was discontinued in 5 (29%) patients due to disease progression and in 6 (35%) patients due to irAEs. Overall, 11 (65%) patients experienced irAEs of any grade. Grade 3 or 4 irAEs occurred in 4 (24%) patients: myocarditis G4 in 1 (6%) patient and colitis G3 in 3 (18%) patients. No irAE-related deaths were reported. The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 21.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.6-28.9).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Real-world data from Slovenia indicate that 65% of patients discontinued adjuvant nivolumab prematurely due to disease progression or irAEs. These findings highlight the need for careful patient selection and monitoring when using adjuvant immunotherapy in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":21034,"journal":{"name":"Radiology and Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"288-293"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147779534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}