Measurable imaging-based changes in enhancement of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after radiotherapy reflect physical mechanisms of response.

ABSTRACT: Escalated doses of radiotherapy associate with improved local control and overall survival (OS) in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), but personalization remains limited because conventional size-based CT criteria correlate poorly with outcomes. We hypothesized that quantitative enhancement measurements would better predict clinical outcomes and guide individualized RT optimization. In a retrospective cohort of 154 patients, we analyzed pre- and post-RT CT scans using quantitative European Association for Study of Liver (qEASL) to derive viable tumor volumes, comparing enhancement-based metrics with size-based RECIST and linking them to outcomes via survival and mathematical modeling. Change in enhancement volume was strongly associated with OS after adjustment, outperforming RECIST,

SUBMITTER: De B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12717172 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature