International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Aug 2004
Impact of mean rectal dose on late rectal bleeding after conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer: dose-volume effect.
To identify the clinical and dosimetric factors predictive of a greater risk of Grade 2 or worse late rectal bleeding in patients with localized prostate cancer treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in a prospective dose-escalation study. ⋯ The results of the present study provide clear evidence of a dose-volume effect and the importance of intermediate doses (60.0 Gy) on the risk of rectal bleeding at this prescription dose level. On the basis of these results, new constraints have been implemented in our institution to keep the risk of developing Grade 2 rectal bleeding reasonably low (rectal D(mean) 50.0 Gy and Vr(60) 42%).
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Aug 2004
Androgen deprivation-induced changes in prostate anatomy predict urinary morbidity after permanent interstitial brachytherapy.
To evaluate the cytoreductive consequences of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy on International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) normalization, catheter dependency, and the need for surgical intervention secondary to bladder outlet obstruction after permanent interstitial brachytherapy. ⋯ After neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy for volume reduction, some brachytherapy-related urinary morbidity parameters are highly related to the preandrogen deprivation prostate volume, variants in the TZ volume, and changes in the urethral location.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Aug 2004
Clinical Trial5-fluorouracil-based chemoradiation in unresectable pancreatic carcinoma: Phase I-II dose-escalation study.
A Phase I-II dose-escalation study was performed to evaluate the possible impact of the dose on response, toxicity, pain relief, and outcome in patients with unresectable pancreatic carcinoma. ⋯ In a Phase I-II study, the association of high RT doses with the incidence of severe toxicity in the treatment of unresectable pancreatic carcinoma was confirmed. Furthermore, this dose-escalation study did not document a clearcut correlation, using 5-fluorouracil-based chemoradiation, between the radiation dose and clinical outcome.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Aug 2004
Simultaneous integrated boost for breast cancer using IMRT: a radiobiological and treatment planning study.
The purpose of this work is to explore the possibility of using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to deliver the boost dose to the tumor bed simultaneously with the whole-breast IMRT to reduce the radiation treatment time by 1-2 weeks. ⋯ It is biologically and dosimetrically feasible to reduce the overall treatment time for breast radiotherapy by using an IMRT simultaneous integrated boost. For selected patient groups, IMRT plans with a new regimen can be equal to or better than conventional plans.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Aug 2004
A population-based study of the prevalence and influence of gifts to radiation oncologists from pharmaceutical companies and medical equipment manufacturers.
Hospital-based physicians are responsible for the purchase of expensive equipment. Little is known about the influence of gift giving on their behavior. We wanted to ascertain the prevalence of gift giving from the pharmaceutical industry and medical equipment manufacturers to radiation oncologists and determine whether or not the size of accepted gifts influences their opinions regarding gifts. ⋯ To our knowledge, this study represents the first large-scale population based study of a hospital-based specialty and gift giving. This study demonstrates that: (1) Gift giving in radiation oncology is endemic. (2) Although each physician is likely to consider himself or herself immune from being influenced by gift giving, he or she is suspicious that the "next person" is influenced. (3) There is a correlation between the willingness of individual physician to accept gifts of high value and their sympathy toward this practice.