International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · May 2003
Dosimetric predictors of xerostomia for head-and-neck cancer patients treated with the smart (simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy) boost technique.
To evaluate the predictors of xerostomia in the treatment of head-and-neck cancers treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), using the simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy (SMART) boost technique. Dosimetric parameters of the parotid glands are correlated to subjective salivary gland function. ⋯ Questions regarding overall comfort, eating, and abnormal taste correlated significantly with the dosimetric parameters of the parotid glands. Questions related to thirst, difficulty with speech or sleep, and the need to carry water daily did not correlate statistically with the dosimetric parameters of the parotid glands. Dosimetric sparing of the parotid glands improved subjective xerostomia. IMRT in the treatment of head-and-neck cancer can be exploited to preserve the parotid glands and decrease xerostomia. This is feasible even with an accelerated treatment regimen like the SMART boost. More patients need to be evaluated using IMRT to identify relevant dosimetric parameters.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · May 2003
Comparative StudyTumor location, cirrhosis, and surgical history contribute to tumor movement in the liver, as measured during stereotactic irradiation using a real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy system.
To investigate the three-dimensional (3D) intrafractional motion of liver tumors during real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy (RTRT). ⋯ Tumor location, cirrhosis, and history of surgery on the liver all had an impact on the intrafractional tumor motion of the liver in the transaxial direction. This finding should be helpful in determining the smallest possible margin in individual cases of radiotherapy for liver malignancy.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · May 2003
The relationship between local dose and loss of function for irradiated lung.
To determine the relationship between the local radiation dose and the decrease in lung function associated with thoracic irradiation. ⋯ The decrease in pulmonary diffusion capacity correlates with the local dose to irradiated lung. Amifostine significantly reduces the loss in DL(CO). A local dose-loss relationship for normalized DL(CO) can be extracted from DVH data. This relationship allows an estimate of the loss of function associated with a radiation treatment plan. Different plans can thus be compared without resort to an empiric DVH reduction algorithm. The very low (13 Gy) threshold for deterioration of DL(CO) suggests that it is better to treat a little normal lung to a high dose than to treat a lot to a low dose.