Radiotherapy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Radiotherapy, including details on cancer treatment, side effects.

Solitary plasmocytoma: improvement in critical organs sparing by means of helical tomotherapy.

Chargari C, Kirova YM, Zefkili S, Caussa L, Amessis M, Dendale R, Campana F, Fourquet A

Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut Curie, Paris, France.

PURPOSE: Helical tomotherapy (HT) was assessed in two patients with paramedullar solitary bone plasmocytoma. We compared doses delivered to critical organs, according HT plan or tridimensional conformal plan. METHODS AND MATERIALS: One male (patient no. 1), 67 yr-old and one female (patient no. 2), 37-yr-old, with histologically, biologically and radiological confirmed paramedullar solitary plasmocytoma have been treated in our department between November 2007 and February 2008 using HT. The prescription dose was 40 Gy in 20 fractions. This HT treatment planning was compared with a routine dosimetric work that was executed for a standard conformal radiotherapy treatment planning. RESULTS: Treatment tolerance was excellent, without any side effects. Both patients achieved 9-month complete remission. HT resulted in substantial critical organs sparing. For patient no. 1, dose delivered to 20% of the total intestine volume was reduced from 28 Gy for conformal radiotherapy to 13 Gy for HT. Radiation dose delivered to 20% of the left kidney was reduced from 25 Gy to 7 Gy. For patient no. 2, volume of left lung that received at least 20 Gy was 12% for conformal radiotherapy vs. 6% for HT. CONCLUSIONS: For paramedullar solitary plasmocytoma, HT has the potential to significantly improve the quality of the dose distribution both in terms of better dose homogeneity within the planning target volume and more efficient sparing of critical organs.

Published 22 June 2009 in Eur J Haematol, 83(1): 66-71.
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Articles on Radiotherapy published 17 June 2009:

Survivorship beyond convalescence: 48-month quality-of-life outcomes after treatment for localized prostate cancer.   J Natl Cancer Inst, 101(12): 888-92.

Decision making for treatment of localized prostate cancer is often guided by therapeutic side-effect profiles. We sought to assess health-related quality-of-life outcomes for patients 48 months after treatment for localized prostate cancer. Men treated for localized prostate cancer (N = 475) were evaluated before treatment and at 11 intervals during the 48 months after intervention. Changes in mean health-related quality-of-life scores and the probability of regaining baseline levels of ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Radiotherapy published 1 June 2009:

Local control of lung derived tumors by diffusing alpha-emitting atoms released from intratumoral wires loaded with radium-224.   Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 74(3): 966-73.

PURPOSE: Diffusing alpha-emitters radiation therapy (DART) is a new form of brachytherapy enabling the treatment of solid tumors with alpha radiation. The present study examines the antitumoral effects resulting from the release of alpha emitting radioisotopes into solid lung carcinoma (LL2, A427, and NCI-H520). METHODS AND MATERIALS: An in vitro setup tested the dose-dependent killing of tumor cells exposed to alpha particles. In in vivo studies, radioactive wires (0.3 mm diameter, 5 mm long) ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Radiation-induced astrogliosis and blood-brain barrier damage can be abrogated using anti-TNF treatment.   Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 74(3): 934-41.

PURPOSE: In this article, we investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) in the initiation of acute damage to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and brain tissue following radiotherapy (RT) for CNS tumors. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Intravital microscopy and a closed cranial window technique were used to measure quantitatively BBB permeability to FITC-dextran 4.4-kDa molecules, leukocyte adhesion (Rhodamine-6G) and vessel diameters before and after 20-Gy cranial radiation with and without ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Integration of real-time internal electromagnetic position monitoring coupled with dynamic multileaf collimator tracking: an intensity-modulated radiation therapy feasibility study.   Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 74(3): 868-75.

PURPOSE: Continuous tumor position measurement coupled with a tumor tracking system would result in a highly accurate radiation therapy system. Previous internal position monitoring systems have been limited by fluoroscopic radiation dose and low delivery efficiency. We aimed to incorporate a continuous, electromagnetic, three-dimensional position tracking system (Calypso 4D Localization System) with a dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC)-based dose delivery system. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Effect of percentage of positive prostate biopsy cores on biochemical outcome in low-risk PCa treated with brachytherapy or 3D-CRT.   Urology, 73(6): 1328-34.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the significance of the percentage of positive biopsy cores (PPBCs) in predicting the biochemical outcome in patients with low-risk prostate cancer undergoing brachytherapy or three-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy (3D-CRT). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 360 patients with low-risk prostate cancer who had undergone low dose-rate brachytherapy ((125)I) or 3D-CRT from 1993 to 2006. Of the 360 patients, 189 had undergone 3D-CRT and 171 had undergone ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Breast intensity-modulated radiation therapy reduces time spent with acute dermatitis for women of all breast sizes during radiation.   Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 74(3): 689-94.

PURPOSE: To study the time spent with radiation-induced dermatitis during a course of radiation therapy for breast cancer in women treated with conventional or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study population consisted of 804 consecutive women with early-stage breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery and radiation from 2001 to 2006. All patients were treated with whole-breast radiation followed by a boost to the tumor bed. Whole-breast ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Evaluation of image-guided positioning for frameless intracranial radiosurgery.   Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 74(3): 913-9.

PURPOSE: The standard for target alignment and immobilization in intracranial radiosurgery is frame-based alignment and rigid immobilization using a stereotactic head ring. Recent improvements in image-guidance systems have introduced the possibility of image-guided radiosurgery with nonrigid immobilization. We present data on the alignment accuracy and patient stability of a frameless image-guided system. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Isocenter alignment errors were measured for in vitro studies in ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Further improvement in outcomes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with optimized radiotherapy and induction plus concomitant chemotherapy: an update of the Milan experience.   Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 74(3): 774-80.

PURPOSE: To report the outcome of a consecutive series of patients with nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), focusing on the impact of treatment-related factors. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 2000 and 2006, 87 patients with NPC were treated with either conventional (two- or three-dimensional) radiotherapy (RT) or with intensity-modulated RT (IMRT). Of these patients, 81 (93%) received either concomitant CHT (24%) or both induction and concomitant chemotherapy (CHT) (69%). Stage was ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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