Proton versus conventional radiotherapy for pediatric salivary gland tumors: Acute toxicity and dosimetric characteristics.

Purpose: We evaluated acute toxicity profiles and dosimetric data for children with salivary gland tumors treated with adjuvant photon/electron-based radiation therapy (X/E RT) or proton therapy (PRT).

Methods And Materials: We identified 24 patients who had received adjuvant radiotherapy for salivary gland tumors. Data were extracted from the medical records and the treatment planning systems.

Patterns of failure, toxicity, and survival after extrapleural pneumonectomy and hemithoracic intensity-modulated radiation therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Introduction: We investigated safety, efficacy, and recurrence after postoperative hemithoracic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma treated with extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), during the past decade at a single institution.

Methods: In 2001-2011, 136 consecutive patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma underwent EPP with planned adjuvant IMRT. Eighty-six patients (64%) underwent hemithoracic IMRT; the rest were not eligible because of postoperative complications, disease progression, or poor performance status.

Use of a deformable atlas to identify cryptic critical structures in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

Dose constraints for traditional neural critical structures (e.g. optic chiasm, brain stem) are a standard component of planning radiation therapy to the central nervous system.

Whole abdominopelvic intensity-modulated radiation therapy for desmoplastic small round cell tumor after surgery.

Purpose: Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSCRT) is an uncommon pediatric tumor with a poor prognosis. Aggressive multimodality therapy is the current treatment approach; however. treatment toxicity is of concern.

Treatment planning with protons for pediatric retinoblastoma, medulloblastoma, and pelvic sarcoma: how do protons compare with other conformal techniques?

Purpose: To calculate treatment plans and compare the dose distributions and dose-volume histograms (DVHs) for photon three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), electron therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and standard (nonintensity modulated) proton therapy in three pediatric disease sites.

Methods And Materials: The tumor volumes from 8 patients (3 retinoblastomas, 2 medulloblastomas, and 3 pelvic sarcomas) were studied retrospectively to compare DVHs from proton therapy with 3D-CRT, electron therapy, and IMRT. In retinoblastoma, several planning techniques were analyzed: A single electron appositional beam was compared with a single 3D-CRT lateral beam, a 3D-CRT anterior beam paired with a lateral beam, IMRT, and protons.