Impact of radiotherapy protocol adherence in NSCLC patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation: RTQA results of the PET-Plan trial.

Introduction: The success of intensification and personalisation of the curative treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is strongly associated with the precision in radiotherapy. Here, we evaluate the impact of radiotherapy protocol adherence in a prospective multicentre trial.

Methods: In the open-label, randomised, controlled PET-Plan trial, patients with inoperable NSCLC were randomized at a 1:1 ratio regarding the target volume delineation informed by F-FDG PET and CT plus elective nodal irradiation (arm A) or target volumes informed by PET alone (arm B) and received iso-toxically dose-escalated concurrent chemoradiation.

Efficacy and Toxicity of Different Chemotherapy Protocols for Concurrent Chemoradiation in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer-A Secondary Analysis of the PET Plan Trial.

(1) Background: The optimal chemotherapy (CHT) regimen for concurrent chemoradiation (cCRT) is not well defined. In this secondary analysis of the international randomized PET-Plan trial, we evaluate the efficacy of different CHT. (2) Methods: Patients with inoperable NSCLC were randomized at a 1:1 ratio regarding the target volume definition and received isotoxically dose-escalated cCRT using cisplatin 80 mg/m (day 1, 22) and vinorelbin 15 mg/m (day 1, 8, 22, 29) (P1) or cisplatin 20 mg/m (day 1-5, 29-33) and vinorelbin 12.

A novel voxel based homogeneity index: Rationale and clinical implications for whole-brain radiation therapy.

Purpose Or Objective: A homogeneity index (HI) measures the uniformity of a dose distribution within a given target volume. Traditional HIs only use a limited number of dose-volume histogram data-points for calculation. A voxel-based homogeneity index (VHI) is proposed which utilizes the entire information of the three-dimensional dose distribution.

Risk adapted dose-intensified postoperative radiation therapy in prostate cancer patients using a simultaneous integrated boost technique applied with helical Tomotherapy.

Background: Postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy (ART) in T3 and R1 prostate cancer as well as salvage radiation therapy (SRT) in case of postoperative biochemical failure (BF) are established treatments. Dose-intensified postoperative radiation therapy (RT) schemes have shown superior biochemical control accompanied by increased toxicity rates. In our study we evaluate a novel risk adapted dose-intensified postoperative RT scheme.

Spinal cord constraints in the era of high-precision radiotherapy : Retrospective analysis of 62 spinal/paraspinal lesions with possible infringements of spinal cord constraints within a minimal volume.

Objective: Current constraints aim to minimize the risk of radiation myelitis by the use of restrictive maximal spinal cord doses, commonly 50 Gy. However, several studies suggested that a dose-volume effect could exist. Based on these observations, we evaluated patients receiving potentially excessive doses to the spinal cord within minimal volumes.

Comparative treatment planning study on sequential vs. simultaneous integrated boost in head and neck cancer patients: Differences in dose distributions and potential implications for clinical practice.

Aim: The purpose of this work was to compare sequential (SeqB) versus simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) radiotherapy plans delivered with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for patients with locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (HNSCC).

Patients And Methods: SeqB and SIB plans using VMAT for 10 HNSCC patients given definitive chemoradiation were generated and analysed for differences in dose distribution, coverage, conformity and homogeneity to the planning target volumes (PTV) 1-3 and sparing of organs at risk (OAR).

Results: The mean delineated volumes ± standard deviations were 137.