International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Mar 2013
Long-term survival and toxicity in patients treated with high-dose intensity modulated radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer.
To report long-term survival and toxicity outcomes with the use of high-dose intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to 86.4 Gy for patients with localized prostate cancer. ⋯ This study represents the largest cohort of patients treated with high-dose radiation to 86.4 Gy, using IMRT for localized prostate cancer, with the longest follow-up to date. Our findings indicate that this treatment results in excellent clinical outcomes with acceptable toxicity.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Mar 2013
Impact of quality assurance rounds in a Canadian radiation therapy department.
Quality assurance (QA) programs aim to identify inconsistencies that may compromise patient care. Radiation treatment planning is a well-documented source of variation in radiation oncology, leading many organizations to recommend the implementation of QA rounds in which radiation therapy plans are peer reviewed. This study evaluates the outcome of QA rounds that have been conducted by a radiation therapy department since 2004. ⋯ This study demonstrated that QA rounds are feasible and an important element of a radiation therapy department's QA program. Through peer review, plans that deviate from a department's expected standard can be identified and corrected. Additional benefits include identifying patterns of practice that may contribute to inconsistencies in treatment planning and the continuing education of staff members who attend.