Selective mediastinal node irradiation in non-small cell lung cancer in the IMRT/VMAT era: How to use E(B)US-NA information in addition to PET-CT for delineation?

Background: FDG-PET-CT-based selective lymph node (LN) irradiation is standard using 3D-conformal techniques for locally advanced NSCLC. With newer techniques (intensity-modulated/volumetric-arc therapy (IMRT/VMAT)), the dose to non-involved adjacent LN decreases, which raises the question whether FDG-PET-CT-delineation is still safe. We therefore evaluated the impact of adding linear endosonography with needle aspiration (E(B)US-NA) to FDG-PET-CT in selective nodal irradiation.

Role of intensity-modulated radiotherapy in reducing toxicity in dose escalation for localized prostate cancer.

Purpose: To compare the acute and late gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity in prostate cancer patients treated to a total dose of 78 Gy with either a three-conformal radiotherapy technique with a sequential boost (SEQ) or a simultaneous integrated boost using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT).

Patients And Methods: A total of 78 prostate cancer patients participating in the randomized Dutch trial comparing 68 Gy and 78 Gy were the subject of this analysis. They were all treated at the same institution to a total dose of 78 Gy.

Increased risk of biochemical and clinical failure for prostate patients with a large rectum at radiotherapy planning: results from the Dutch trial of 68 GY versus 78 Gy.

Purpose: To investigate whether a large rectum filling visible on the planning CT scan was associated with a decrease in freedom from any failure (FFF) and freedom from clinical failure (FFCF) for prostate cancer patients.

Methods And Materials: Patients from the Dutch trial (78 Gy vs. 68 Gy) with available acute toxicity data were analyzed (n = 549).

Acute and late gastrointestinal toxicity after radiotherapy in prostate cancer patients: consequential late damage.

Purpose: Late gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity after radiotherapy can be partly explained by late effects of acute toxicity (consequential late damage). We studied whether there is a direct relationship between acute and late GI toxicity.

Patients And Methods: A total of 553 evaluable patients from the Dutch dose escalation trial (68 Gy vs.

Rectal bleeding, fecal incontinence, and high stool frequency after conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer: normal tissue complication probability modeling.

Purpose: To analyze whether inclusion of predisposing clinical features in the Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model improves the estimation of late gastrointestinal toxicity.

Methods And Materials: This study includes 468 prostate cancer patients participating in a randomized trial comparing 68 with 78 Gy. We fitted the probability of developing late toxicity within 3 years (rectal bleeding, high stool frequency, and fecal incontinence) with the original, and a modified LKB model, in which a clinical feature (e.

Dose-response in radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer: results of the Dutch multicenter randomized phase III trial comparing 68 Gy of radiotherapy with 78 Gy.

Purpose: To determine whether a dose of 78 Gy improves outcome compared with a conventional dose of 68 Gy for prostate cancer patients treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Between June 1997 and February 2003, stage T1b-4 prostate cancer patients were enrolled onto a multicenter randomized trial comparing 68 Gy with 78 Gy. Patients were stratified by institution, age, (neo)adjuvant hormonal therapy (HT), and treatment group.

Localized volume effects for late rectal and anal toxicity after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: To identify dosimetric parameters derived from anorectal, rectal, and anal wall dose distributions that correlate with different late gastrointestinal (GI) complications after three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: In this analysis, 641 patients from a randomized trial (68 Gy vs. 78 Gy) were included.

Absolute and relative dose-surface and dose-volume histograms of the bladder: which one is the most representative for the actual treatment?

The purpose of this study was to quantify to what extent relative and absolute bladder dose-volume and dose-surface histograms of the planning CT scan were representative for the actual treatment. We used data of 17 patients, who each received 11 repeat CT scans and a planning CT scan. The repeat CT scans were matched on the planning CT scan by the bony anatomy.

Volume and hormonal effects for acute side effects of rectum and bladder during conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: To identify dosimetric variables predictive of acute gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity and to determine whether hormonal therapy (HT) is independently associated with acute GI and GU toxicity in prostate cancer patients treated with conformal radiotherapy (RT).

Methods And Materials: This analysis was performed on 336 patients participating in a multicenter (four hospitals) randomized trial comparing 68 Gy and 78 Gy. The clinical target volume consisted of the prostate with or without the seminal vesicles, depending on the risk of seminal vesicle involvement.

Acute and late complications after radiotherapy for prostate cancer: results of a multicenter randomized trial comparing 68 Gy to 78 Gy.

Purpose: To compare acute and late gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) side effects in prostate cancer patients randomized to receive 68 Gy or 78 Gy.

Methods And Materials: Between June 1997 and February 2003, 669 prostate cancer patients were randomized between radiotherapy with a dose of 68 Gy and 78 Gy, in 2 Gy per fraction and using three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. All T stages with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) <60 ng/mL were included, except any T1a and well-differentiated T1b-c tumors with PSA < or =4 ng/mL.