Advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy with volumetric modulated arcs and the potential role of flattening filter-free beams.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the dosimetric characteristics of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with flattening filter-free (FFF) beams and assess the role of VMAT in the treatment of advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: Ten cases of CT data were randomly selected from advanced NPC patients. Three treatment plans were optimized for each patient, RapidArc with FFF beams (RA-FFF), conventional beams (RA) and static gantry intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

Longitudinal study on the correlations of thyroid antibody and thyroid hormone levels after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma with radiation-induced hypothyroidism.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlations of thyroid antibody and thyroid hormone in postradiotherapy (post-RT) patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroperoxidase antibody (anti-TPO), and thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG) levels of 55 patients with NPC were taken before RT and at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after RT. Patients with hypothyroidism at 18 months after RT and those with normal thyroid function were categorized into the hypo and normal groups, respectively.

Volumetric modulation arc radiotherapy with flattening filter-free beams compared with conventional beams for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a feasibility study.

There is increasing interest in the clinical use of flattening filter-free (FFF) beams. In this study, we aimed to investigate the dosimetric characteristics of volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) with FFF beams for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Ten NPC patients were randomly selected to undergo a RapidArc plan with either FFF beams (RA-FFF) or conventional beams (RA-C).