Do refined consensus guidelines improve the uniformity of clinical target volume delineation for rectal cancer? Results of a national review project.

In a previous national central review project, 74% of the rectal cancer clinical target volumes (CTVs) needed a modification. In a follow-up initiative, we evaluated whether the use of refined international consensus guidelines improves the uniformity of CTV delineation in clinical practice.

Hypofractionated intensity modulated irradiation for localized prostate cancer, results from a phase I/II feasibility study.

Background: To assess acute (primary endpoint) and late toxicity, quality of life (QOL), biochemical or clinical failure (secondary endpoints) of a hypofractionated IMRT schedule for prostate cancer (PC).

Methods: 38 men with localized PC received 66 Gy (2.64 Gy) to prostate,2 Gy to seminal vesicles (50 Gy total) using IMRT.

Prognostic influence of retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx.

Purpose: To investigate the impact of involvement of retropharyngeal lymph nodes on the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx.

Methods And Materials: The pretreatment computed tomographic scans of 208 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx were reviewed for the presence of metastatic retropharyngeal lymph nodes. All patients were treated at the Leuven department between 1984 and 2003: by radiotherapy alone in 84.

Retropharyngeal nodes in squamous cell carcinoma of oropharynx: incidence, localization, and implications for target volume.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence and anatomic localization of retropharyngeal (RP) nodal involvement in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx.

Methods And Materials: The CT studies of 208 patients presenting with oropharyngeal carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. The location of the nodal neck disease was registered according to recent consensus guidelines for target volume delineation, and special attention was given to the RP nodes.

Chemo-radiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in the pre-operative treatment of resectable rectal cancer.

Aim: To determine the differences in downstaging, local control (LC), disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between combined pre-operative chemoradiation and pre-operative radiotherapy alone in the treatment of resectable rectal cancer.

Methods: One hundred and ten patients who underwent pre-operative radiotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy were reviewed. Fifty-seven patients were treated with radiotherapy (30 Gy/3 Gy) alone and 53 patients with chemo-radiotherapy (bolus 5FU+45 Gy/1.