Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT): practical recommendations of Italian Association of Radiation Oncology (AIRO).

The use of imaging to maximize precision and accuracy throughout the entire process of radiation therapy (RT) delivery has been called "Image-guided RT" (IGRT). RT has long been image guided: in fact, historically, the portal films and later electronic megavoltage images represented an early form of IGRT. A broad range of IGRT modalities is now available and adopted.

[New radiation techniques in paediatric cancers].

Despite the risk of long-term side effects, external radiation therapy remains a cornerstone of the treatment for many cancers in childhood, in particular for brain tumours and head and neck cancers. Conformal radiation has been the standard of care since several decades. However, new techniques, including stereotactic radiation, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, or protontherapy have proven many advantages in adults, and are more and more discussed in pediatric management due to a favourable cost/benefit rate in some situations.

Treatment with oral etoposide for childhood recurrent ependymomas.

In this study the authors retrospectively evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of prolonged oral etoposide therapy in children with recurrent ependymoma. Twelve ependymoma patients with documented recurrent or persistent disease were treated between May 1998 and October 2003. All patients were treated monthly with oral VP-16 administered at a dose of 50 mg/m2/d for 21 days, with a 7-day interval between cycles, for a planned minimum number of six cycles.