Specific growth rates calculated from CTs in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective study performed in Austria.

Objective: To provide data on specific growth rates (SGRs) of primary tumours (PT-SGR) and largest pathological cervical lymph nodes (LN-SGR) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). To explore PT-SGR's and LN-SGR's correlation with selected biomarkers epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Ki67 and CD44.

Design And Setting: Retrospective study performed at a tertiary oncological referral centre in Innsbruck, Austria.

Persistent Head and Neck Cancer Following First-Line Treatment.

Following first-line treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC), persistent disease may require second-line treatment. All patients with HNC treated between 2008 and 2016 were included. Second-line treatment modalities and survival of patients were analyzed.

Prognostic value of tumor volume in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with primary surgery.

Background: Tumor volume in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was mainly measured in nonsurgically treated patients. We analyzed the influence of tumor volume on complete response (CR), overall survival (OS), and clear surgical margins also in primarily surgically treated patients.

Methods: In contrast-enhanced CTs, the tumor volumes of patients with incident HNSCC were measured.

Optimized conformal paraaortic lymph node irradiation is not associated with enhanced renal toxicity.

Background And Purpose: For patients with gynecologic carcinomas, irradiation of paraaortic lymph nodes (PLNs) is a routine treatment concept. Planning target volumes (PTVs) individually optimized by radiation field delineations along the big vessels permit the inclusion of at least 97% of potentially involved PLNs. However, this novel treatment technique might increase radiation-induced nephrotoxicity.

Competing irradiation techniques for para-aortic lymph nodes: dose distribution and NTCP for the kidney.

Purpose: Partial coirradiation of both kidneys is an unavoidable consequence of adequate dose delivery in radiation therapy of para-aortic lymph nodes (PLN). Depending on total dose anteroposterior/posteroanterior (AP/PA), opposed-fields or multifield techniques are used. To optimize the treatment of potentially tumor-affected PLN with minimal kidney involvement, we calculated normal tissue complication probabilities (NTCPs) of coirradiated kidneys for four common irradiation techniques used in the PLN area.

Reproducibility of patient positioning for fractionated extracranial stereotactic radiotherapy using a double-vacuum technique.

Background And Purpose: Precise reproducible patient positioning is a prerequisite for conformal fractionated radiotherapy. A fixation system based on double-vacuum technology is presented which can be used for conventional as well as hypofractionated stereotactic extracranial radiotherapy.

Material And Methods: To form the actual vacuum mattress, the patient is pressed into the mattress with a vacuum foil which can also be used for daily repositioning and fixation.