International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
-
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.
-
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.
-
Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2004
A dynamic supraclavicular field-matching technique for head-and-neck cancer patients treated with IMRT.
The conventional single-isocenter and half-beam (SIHB) technique for matching supraclavicular fields with head-and-neck (HN) intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) fields is subject to substantial dose inhomogeneities from imperfect accelerator jaw/MLC calibration. It also limits the isocenter location and restricts the useful field size for IMRT. We propose a dynamic field-matching technique to overcome these limitations. ⋯ Compared with the conventional SIHB technique, the dynamic field-matching technique provides superior dose homogeneity in the abutment region between the supraclavicular and HN IMRT fields. The dynamic feathering mechanism substantially reduces dose inhomogeneities that result from imperfect jaw/MLC calibration. In addition, isocenter location in the dynamic field-matching technique can be chosen for reproducible patient setup and for adequate IMRT field size rather than being dictated by the match position. It also allows angling of the supraclavicular field to reduce the volume of healthy lung irradiated, which is impractical with the SIHB technique. In principle, this technique should be applicable to any treatment site that requires the abutment of static and intensity-modulated fields.
-
Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2004
Changes in temporal patterns of local failure after breast-conserving therapy and their prognostic implications.
The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate patterns and rates of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) over time based on the type of failure (true recurrence/marginal miss [TR/MM] vs. elsewhere [E]) and to compare these to rates of contralateral failure in women with Stages I/II breast cancer treated with conservative surgery (CS) and radiation therapy (RT). ⋯ The rates and patterns of IBTR vary with time and, after 5 years, approach the rates of development of a contralateral breast cancer. E failures are, overall, less frequent than TR/MM but contribute increasingly to the IBTR rate after 5 years. Time to tumor recurrence is the most reliable predictor of prognosis after IBTR.
-
Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Nov 2004
Concurrent weekly cisplatin and radiotherapy in routine management of cervical cancer: a report on patient compliance and acute toxicity.
To evaluate patient compliance and acute toxicity accompanying concurrent weekly cisplatin and radiotherapy (RT) in the routine management of cervical cancer. ⋯ Our results show that pelvic RT combined with weekly cisplatin in cervical cancer patients is accompanied by considerable acute toxicity. Furthermore, a number of patients were unable to comply with the treatment schedule owing to reasons unrelated to treatment toxicity. Thus, administration of the full chemotherapy dose may be difficult, although the delivery of planned RT was generally not compromised. Additional follow-up is needed to assess the late toxicity of combined modality treatment.