Fractionated proton radiation treatment for pediatric craniopharyngioma: preliminary report.

Unlabelled: This retrospective preliminary review evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of fractionated proton radiotherapy in the management of pediatric craniopharyngioma.

Methods: Sixteen patients, aged 7-34 years, were treated with proton-beam radiation. All had undergone at least one tumor resection.

Patient tolerance of rectal balloons in conformal radiation treatment of prostate cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate patient tolerance of intrarectal balloons used during conformal prostate irradiation.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective analysis was performed on 3,561 patients who underwent conformal radiation for prostate cancer. Therapy consisted of proton irradiation of the prostate and seminal vesicles and X-ray treatment of the pelvis when warranted.

Proton radiation for treatment of cancer of the oropharynx: early experience at Loma Linda University Medical Center using a concomitant boost technique.

Purpose: To assess accelerated fractionation using photon and proton radiation to improve local control and reduce complications in treating locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer.

Methods And Materials: Twenty-nine patients with localized Stage II-IV oropharyngeal cancer received accelerated photon and proton radiation, 75.9 GyE in 45 fractions/5.

Influence of patient age on biochemical freedom from disease in patients undergoing conformal proton radiotherapy of organ-confined prostate cancer.

Objectives: To examine a large, single-institution series of patients to test the perception among clinicians that radiotherapy is preferred for "older" patients and surgery should be indicated for "younger" men. Both radiotherapy and surgery are used to control prostate cancer, and both yield similar results in terms of long-term biochemical disease-free (bNED) survival.

Methods: The bNED survival results from more than 1000 patients treated solely with conformal radiotherapy were analyzed to determine whether a difference in outcome supervened for patients younger than 60 years of age versus older patients.

Proton therapy for prostate cancer: the initial Loma Linda University experience.

Purpose: We analyzed results of conformal proton radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer, with emphasis on biochemical freedom from relapse.

Methods And Materials: Analyses were performed for 1255 patients treated between October 1991 and December 1997. Outcomes were measured on primarily in terms of biochemical relapse and toxicity.