International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2004
ReviewIntensity-modulated radiotherapy as primary treatment for prostate cancer: acute toxicity in 114 patients.
Dose escalation improves local control in prostate cancer. At Ghent University Hospital, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is used to increase the dose to the prostate and/or seminal vesicles. We report on acute toxicity in 114 patients who received IMRT for prostate cancer. ⋯ Anatomy-based IMRT to treat prostate cancer is incorporated into our daily routine without any problem. Acute toxicity is very low. Most of the recorded symptoms decrease over time, except for GI urgency and incontinence. The incorporation of additional symptoms makes the scoring more detailed.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2004
Time course of serum cytokines in patients receiving proton or combined photon/proton beam radiation for resectable but medically inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer.
We prospectively measured the levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, and procollagen III peptide (P III P) in serum from non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with photons combined with protons or protons alone. These factors were quantified because they may be extremely important in the development of side effects, and the treated volume integral dose may be crucial in inducing them. ⋯ Although significant changes occurred in some of the measured cytokines and P III P, it was the difference in the volume integral dose that occurred when protons were used alone vs. mixed photon/proton therapy that correlated with the incidence of pneumonitis and/or fibrosis. However, it cannot be ruled out that differences in cytokine levels before radiotherapy initiation may have contributed to the outcome.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2004
Comparative StudyClinical implementation of intensity-modulated arc therapy (IMAT) for rectal cancer.
In rectal cancer, combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy, either pre- or postoperatively, is an accepted treatment. Late small bowel (SB) toxicity is a feared side effect and limits radiation-dose escalation in a volume-dependent way. A planning strategy for intensity- modulated arc therapy (IMAT) was developed, and IMAT was clinically implemented with the aim to reduce the volume of SB irradiated at high doses and thus reduce SB toxicity. We report on the treatment plans of the first 7 patients, on the comparison of IMAT with conventional 3D planning (3D), and on the feasibility of IMAT delivery. ⋯ IMAT plans are deliverable within a 5-10-minute time slot, and result in a lower dose to the SB than 3D plans, without creating significant underdosages in the PTV. PGD showed that IMAT delivery is as accurate as 3D delivery.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2004
Stereotactic irradiation for intracranial arteriovenous malformation using stereotactic radiosurgery or hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy.
To investigate the appropriateness of the treatment policy of stereotactic irradiation using both hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (HSRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) located in an eloquent region or for large AVMs and using SRS alone for the other AVMs. ⋯ Our treatment policy using SRS and HSRT was as effective as the policy involving SRS alone. The HSRT schedule was suggested to have a lower frequency of radiation necrosis and cyst formation than the high-dose SRS schedule. The benefit of HSRT compared with lower dose SRS has not yet been determined.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2004
Incidence of internal mammary node metastases after a sentinel lymph node technique in breast cancer and its implication in the radiotherapy plan.
To analyze the frequency in determining pathologically proven metastatic involvement of internal mammary nodes (IMN) after sentinel lymph node (SLN) technique in breast cancer and to evaluate the implications for radiotherapy (RT) management of patients. ⋯ We can conclude that 14% of the patients with intraoperative drainage into the IMN surgical examination of the lymph nodes had pathologically positive metastases. The percentage in pathologically proven metastatic involvement of IMN after the SLN technique in early breast cancer is low, but it is not negligible. Moreover, it is expected to increase since the international recommendations have established a 3-cm cutoff for practicing the SLN technique. Although the real value of IMN irradiation in early breast cancer is not known, including this chain in postoperative radiotherapy is not recommended unless pathologically proven IMNs have been produced by the SLN technique. To avoid overdosage or underdosage in the joint between the medial tangential and IMN fields, an individualized 3D dosimetry study is mandatory to enhance dose distribution and reduce the heart volume to lessen side effects.