Publications by authors named "Elvira Capra"
Purpose: To introduce volumetric modulated arc therapy treatments (VMAT) with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) for pancreatic cancer and describe dosimetric results on a large patient series.
Methods And Materials: 45 patients with pancreatic malignancies were treated with 18 MV single-arc VMAT. Image guidance was performed with daily online kilo-volt cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
Purpose: To reduce the fraction number in Partial Breast Irradiation (PBI) with initial prescription of 40 Gy in 10 fractions using radiobiological models with specific focus on risk of moderate/severe radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF) and report clinical results.
Methods And Materials: 68 patients (patient group A) were treated with 40 Gy in 10 fractions delivered by field-in-field, forward-planned IMRT. Isotoxic regimens with decreasing number of fractions were calculated using Biological Effective Dose (BED) to the breast.
Half-body irradiation with tomotherapy for pain palliation in metastatic breast cancer.
J Pain Symptom Manage
January 2014
Context: Half-body irradiation (HBI) is the fastest and most effective tool against uncontrolled pain from widespread bone metastases but is somewhat toxic.
Objectives: To assess the feasibility of lower HBI with helical tomotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer in terms of acute toxicity and delay in chemotherapy administration.
Methods: Thirteen breast cancer patients with multiple painful bone metastases to the lower half of the body were enrolled in this prospective trial.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to report results of measurements of dose to the skin in vivo with radiochromic EBT films in treatments with helical tomotherapy.
Methods And Materials: In vivo measurements were performed by applying pieces of radiochromic films to the skin or to the inner side of thermoplastic mask before the treatment. The sites of treatment included scalp, brain, head and neck, cranio-spinal axis and lower limbs.
Aims And Background: The present study evaluated toxicity, local control, and survival in patients with relapsed high-grade glioma after surgery and external beam radiation therapy and treated with re-operation and GliaSite brachytherapy.
Methods: Between 2006 and 2008, 15 patients with recurrent high-grade glioma underwent re-operation and GliaSite brachytherapy. Ten patients were males and 5 females.
Purpose: To extend the application of current radiation therapy (RT) based normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models of radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF) of the breast to include the effects of fractionation, inhomogeneous dose, incomplete recovery, and time after the end of radiotherapy in partial breast irradiation (PBI).
Materials And Methods: An NTCP Lyman model with biologically effective uniform dose (BEUD) with and without a correction for the effect of incomplete repair was used. The time to occurrence of RIF was also taken into account.
Purpose: To extend the application of current radiation therapy (RT) based tumor control probability (TCP) models of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) to include the effects of hypoxia and chemoradiotherapy (CRT).
Methods: A TCP model is described based on the linear-quadratic model modified to account for repopulation, chemotherapy, heterogeneity of dose to the tumor, and hypoxia. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine which parameters exert the greatest influence on the uncertainty of modeled TCP.