Timothy F. Kozelsky, M.D.

This randomized phase III trial studies standard or comprehensive radiation therapy in treating patients with early-stage breast cancer who have undergone surgery. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x rays to kill tumor cells. It is not yet known whether comprehensive radiation therapy is more effective than standard radiation therapy in treating patients with breast cancer.

This randomized phase III trial studies axillary lymph node dissection to see how well it works compared to axillary radiation therapy in treating patients with node-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery. Lymph node dissection may remove cancer cells that have spread to nearby lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. This study will evaluate whether radiation therapy is as effective as lymph node dissection.

To collect and analyze specimens that will correlate with clinical outcomes such as acute and late toxicities, quality of life, local control, and survival of patients treated with radiation therapy.

This randomized phase III trial studies how well hypofractionated radiation therapy works in preventing recurrence in patients with stage IIa-IIIa cancer who have undergone mastectomy. Hypofractionated radiation therapy delivers higher doses of radiation therapy over a shorter period of time and may kill more tumor cells that remain after surgery and have fewer side effects.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how well proton beam radiation therapy compared with intensity modulated photon radiotherapy works in treating patients with stage I-IVA esophageal cancer. Proton beam radiation therapy uses a beam of protons (rather than x-rays) to send radiation inside the body to the tumor without damaging much of the healthy tissue around it. Intensity modulated photon radiotherapy uses high-energy x-rays to deliver radiation directly to the tumor without damaging much of the healthy tissue around it. It is not yet known whether proton beam therapy or intensity modulated photon radiotherapy will work better in treating patients with esophageal cancer.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether, in men with post-prostatectomy PSA recurrences, salvage radiation therapy (SRT) with enhanced anti-androgen therapy with apalutamide will improve biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS) compared to SRT alone.

This randomized phase III trial compares memantine hydrochloride and whole-brain radiotherapy with or without hippocampal avoidance in reducing neurocognitive decline in patients with cancer that has spread from the primary site (place where it started) to the brain. Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) is the most common treatment for brain metastasis. Unfortunately, the majority of patients with brain metastases experience cognitive (such as learning and memory) deterioration after WBRT. Memantine hydrochloride may enhance cognitive function by binding to and inhibiting channels of receptors located in the central nervous system. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Using radiation techniques, such as intensity modulated radiotherapy to avoid the hippocampal region during WBRT, may reduce the radiation dose to the hippocampus and help limit the radiation-induced cognitive decline. It is not yet known whether giving memantine hydrochloride and WBRT with or without hippocampal avoidance works better in reducing neurocognitive decline in patients with brain metastases.

This randomized phase II/III trial studies how well whole-brain radiation therapy works and compares it with or without hippocampal avoidance in treating patients with small cell lung cancer that is found in one lung, the tissues between the lungs, and nearby lymph nodes only (limited stage) or has spread outside of the lung in which it began or to other parts of the body (extensive stage). Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. The hippocampus is part of the brain that is important for memory. Avoiding the hippocampus during whole-brain radiation could decrease the chance of side effects on memory and thinking. It is not yet known whether giving whole-brain radiation therapy is more effective with or without hippocampal avoidance in treating patients with small cell lung cancer.