Brachytherapy
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The study aimed to analyze the Pro-Qura database in terms of patient implant sequence number for each institution to determine evidence for a dosimetric learning curve. ⋯ Although a learning curve exists for prostate brachytherapy, high-quality brachytherapy is achievable in approximately 75-80% of patients treated at community centers.
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The study aimed to assess the outcome of locally advanced cervical and vaginal cancer treated with high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDRB). ⋯ Our series suggests that single interstitial implantation procedure with five fractions of 3.75 Gy each to target volume is an effective and safe fractionation schedule. The integration of imaging modality helps in decreasing dose to the critical organs. Additional patients and followup are ongoing to determine the long-term efficacy of this approach.
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The study aimed to evaluate mature outcomes of a Phase I/II high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRB) boost protocol. ⋯ The data support HDRB boost as a potential means of dose escalation in prostate cancer. Significant findings using the ACD need to be validated with contemporary biochemical failure definitions. Prospective trials to optimize fractionation and evaluate outcomes in comparison to contemporary EBRT techniques are warranted.
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Comparative Study
The effect of interobserver variability on transrectal ultrasonography-based postimplant dosimetry.
To investigate interobserver variability in contouring the prostate on postimplant transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) images and its effect on dosimetric parameters that quantify implant quality. ⋯ Significant interobserver differences in delineating the prostate volume on postimplant TRUS images were observed; however, these differences were less than generally reported for postimplant CT images. The interobserver differences in contouring the prostate in both TRUS and CT images produced significant differences in the dosimetric parameters, D90 and V100.
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Comparative Study
Low-dose-rate vs. high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy for carcinoma of the cervix: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) experience.
To review the clinical outcome retrospectively of cervical cancer patients treated definitively with either high-dose-rate (HDR) or low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy. ⋯ Similar outcome was observed for LDR compared with HDR intracavitary brachytherapy for the entire cohort. In this review, HDR group was not inferior to LDR group in advanced stages. This is likely because our patients were treated with brachytherapy after a high dose of external pelvic radiotherapy in both LDR and HDR patients.