Late complications after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Background: The aim of the present study was to analyze in detail the time course of the incidence of radiation-induced late effects. For this purpose, unpublished data of patients treated by radiation therapy in Hamburg in the late 1980s were analyzed. Relatively large volumes were exposed to comparatively high doses, thus leading to a high rate of treatment-related side effects.

Individual radiosensitivity measured with lymphocytes may predict the risk of acute reaction after radiotherapy.

Purpose: We tested whether the chromosomal radiosensitivity of in vitro irradiated lymphocytes could be used to predict the risk of acute reactions after radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Two prospective studies were performed: study A with 51 patients included different tumor sites and study B included 87 breast cancer patients. Acute reaction was assessed using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group score.

Evaluation of prognostic factors and two radiation techniques in patients treated with surgery followed by radio(chemo)therapy or definitive radio(chemo)therapy for locally advanced head-and-neck cancer.

Background And Purpose: Conventional radiotherapy (RT) still is the standard technique for head-and-neck cancer in many centers worldwide, whereas other centers replaced this technique by 3-D conformal RT, which is associated with more appropriate dose distributions. Comparative studies regarding outcome and toxicity are lacking. This study compared both techniques for overall survival (OS), metastases-free survival (MFS), loco-regional control (LC), and toxicity in stage III/IV head-and-neck cancer.

Experiences with a new high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) boost technique for T3b prostate cancer.

Purpose: Experiences with a new high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) boost technique in 41 patients with stage T3b prostate cancer are presented.

Patients And Methods: The patients received 18 Gy of HDR-BT (9 Gy on days 1 + 8) plus 50.4 Gy of EBRT.

High accuracy of virtual simulation with the laser system Dorado CT4.

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of virtual simulation, which is less time-consuming than physical simulation, with the new laser system Dorado CT4 in 96 prostate cancer patients.

Patients And Methods: Virtual simulation was based on a spiral scan with 8 mm reconstruction index and 8 mm slice thickness in 64 patients (group A), and 3 mm reconstruction index and 3 mm slice thickness in 32 patients (group B). Both groups were evaluated for impact on maximum difference (Deltamax) regarding the isocenters obtained from virtual simulation versus those obtained from physical simulation.