Technical Note: Partial body irradiation of mice using a customized PMMA apparatus and a clinical 3D planning/LINAC radiotherapy system.

Purpose: In vivo radiobiology experiments involving partial body irradiation (PBI) of mice are of major importance because they allow for the evaluation of individual organ tolerance; overcoming current limitations of experiments using lower dose, whole body irradiation. In the current study, the authors characterize and validate an effective and efficient apparatus for multiple animal PBI, directed to the head, thorax, or abdomen of mice.

Methods: The apparatus is made of polymethylmethacrylate and consists of a rectangular parallelepiped prism (40 cm × 16 cm × 8 cm), in which five holes were drilled to accomodate standard 60 ml syringes, each housing an unanesthetized, fully immobilized mouse.

Postmastectomy hypofractionated and accelerated radiation therapy with (and without) subcutaneous amifostine cytoprotection.

Purpose: Postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) provides major local control and survival benefits. More aggressive radiation therapy schemes may, however, be necessary in specific subgroups, provided they are safely administered. We report the tolerance and efficacy of a highly accelerated and hypofractionated regimen (HypoARC).

Hypofractionated and accelerated radiotherapy with subcutaneous amifostine cytoprotection as short adjuvant regimen after breast-conserving surgery: interim report.

Purpose: Short radiotherapy schedules might be more convenient for patients and overloaded radiotherapy departments, provided late toxicity is not increased. We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of a hypofractionated and highly accelerated radiotherapy regimen supported with cytoprotection provided by amifostine in breast cancer patients treated with breast-conserving surgery.

Methods And Materials: A total of 92 patients received 12 consecutive fractions of radiotherapy (3.