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.

Radiation-induced liver disease in three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for primary liver carcinoma: the risk factors and hepatic radiation tolerance.

Liang SX, Zhu XD, Xu ZY, Zhu J, Zhao JD, Lu HJ, Yang YL, Chen L, Wang AY, Fu XL, Jiang GL

Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Cancer Hospital, Shanghai, China.

PURPOSE: To identify risk factors relevant to radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) and to determine the hepatic tolerance to radiation. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The data of 109 primary liver carcinomas (PLC) treated with hypofractionated three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) were analyzed. Seventeen patients were diagnosed with RILD and 13 of 17 died of it. RESULTS: The risk factors for RILD were late T stage, large gross tumor volume, presence of portal vein thrombosis, association with Child-Pugh Grade B cirrhosis, and acute hepatic toxicity. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that the severity of hepatic cirrhosis was a unique independent predictor. For Child-Pugh Grade A patients, the hepatic radiation tolerance was as follows: (1) Mean dose to normal liver (MDTNL) of 23 Gy was tolerable. (2) For cumulative dose-volume histogram, the tolerable volume percentages would be less than: V5 of 86%, V10 of 68%, V15 of 59%, V20 of 49%, V25 of 35%, V30 of 28%, V35 of 25%, and V40 of 20%. (3) Tolerable MDTNL could be estimated by MDTNL (Gy) = -1.686 + 0.023 * normal liver volume (cm3). CONCLUSION: The predominant risk factor for RILD was the severity of hepatic cirrhosis. The hepatic tolerance to radiation could be estimated by dosimetric parameters.

Published 12 May 2006 in Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 65(2): 426-34.
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