Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
-
Comparative Study
Comparative planning evaluation of intensity-modulated radiotherapy techniques for complex lung cancer cases.
Lung cancer treatment can be one of the most challenging fields in radiotherapy. The aim of the present study was to compare different modalities of radiation delivery based on a balanced scoring scheme for target coverage and normal tissue avoidance. ⋯ This approach may allow the evaluation of different treatment options prior to actual planning, subject to validation in larger prospective data sets.
-
Evaluation of dose-volume-time-related factors in 64 patients treated with high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) as a boost to external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for localized prostate cancer. ⋯ To minimize morbidity in HDR-BT for prostate cancer, a maximum dose to the urethra of 15 Gy and a maximum dose to the rectal mucosa of 6 Gy is advisable. Treatment- and patient-related factors have a major impact on toxicity.
-
To assess family physicians' views on common indications for palliative radiotherapy and to determine whether this influences patient referral. ⋯ Many of the family physicians surveyed were unaware of the effectiveness of radiotherapy in a variety of common palliative situations, and radiotherapy referral was correlated with knowledge about the indications for palliative radiotherapy. This was not surprising given the limited education they received in this area and the limited contact they have had with radiation oncologists. Strategies need to be developed to improve continuing medical education opportunities for family physicians and to facilitate more interaction between these physicians and radiation oncologists.
-
Comparative Study
192Ir or 125I prostate brachytherapy as a boost to external beam radiotherapy in locally advanced prostatic cancer: a dosimetric point of view.
This work aims at comparing the dosimetric possibilities of 125I or 192Ir prostate brachytherapy (Bt) as a boost to external beam radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced adenocarcinoma. ⋯ At the present time, there is no evident dosimetric superiority of one Bt method when all the criteria are taken into account. However, improving Bt techniques to implant any prostatic size could found the superiority of the 125I or permanent implants. 125I indeed allows large hyperdosage volumes inside the CTV in comparison with 192Ir HDR techniques while lowering doses to OR and minimizing CS.
-
To identify endoscopic pathological findings prior to radiotherapy and a possible correlation with acute or chronic rectal side effects after three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for prostate cancer. ⋯ There is no evidence that prostate cancer patients presenting with endoscopic verified pathological findings in the rectal mucosa at diagnosis are at an increased risk to develop rectal side effects when treated with 3D-CRT of the prostatic region.