The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a spacer inserted in the prerectal space could reduce modeled rectal dose and toxicity rates for patients with prostate cancer treated in silico with pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy. A total of 20 patients were included in this study who received photon therapy (12 with rectal spacer (DuraSeal™ gel) and 8 without). Two PBS treatment pl...

PURPOSE Whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) could improve survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains controversial especially in the era of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and we explored the role of NCT for NPC patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective review was conducted of 255 NPC patients treated with NCT+CCRT ...

OBJECTIVE To determine late toxicity and quality of life (QoL) in patients with localized prostate cancer after high-dose intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). PATIENT AND METHODS This was a prospective study in patients with localized prostate adenocarcinoma who had been treated by IMRT (76 Gy) between February and November 2006. Physicians scored acute and late toxicity using the Common ...

PURPOSE To assess changes in oral cavity (OC) shapes and radiation doses to tongue with different tongue positions during intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) but who refused or did not tolerate an intraoral device (IOD), such as bite block, tongue blade, or mouthpiece. RESULTS Tongue volume outside of OC was 7.1 ± 3.8 cm3...

However, we disagree with Dr Lee that the toxicity should be attributed solely to rectal paracetamol. Firstly, the pharmacokinetics of rectal paracetamol have been extensively studied, and it has been suggested that even a rectal regimen of 25 mg/kg every 6 hours for a mean of 2 to 3 days did not result in supratherapeutic concentration. Secondly, because oral and rectal paracetamol are metabol...

INTRODUCTION Rectal bleeding after radiotherapy impacts the quality of life of long-term surviving prostate cancer patients. We sought to identify factors associated with late rectal bleeding following intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using TomoTherapy for prostate cancer. METHODS We retrospectively analysed 82 patients with localised prostate cancer treated with TomoTherapy. Most...

OBJECTIVE To compare the radiobiological response between simultaneously dose-escalated and non-escalated intensity-modulated radiation therapy (DE-IMRT and NE-IMRT) for patients with upper thoracic esophageal cancer (UTEC) using radiobiological evaluation. METHODS Computed tomography simulation data sets for 25 patients pathologically diagnosed with primary UTEC were used in this study. DE-I...

PURPOSE Study goals were to characterize gastrointestinal effects of proton therapy (PT) in a large cohort of patients treated for prostate cancer, identify factors associated with rectal bleeding (RB), and compare RB between patients receiving investigational protocols versus those in outcome-tracking protocols. METHODS AND MATERIALS A total of 1285 consecutive patients were treated with PT ...

Objective: The purpose of this dosimetric study is the targeted dose homogeneity and critical organ dose comparison of 7-field Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) and 3-D 4-field conformal radiotherapy. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Material and Methods: Twenty patients with low and moderate risk prostate cancer treated at Gülhane Military Medical School Radiation Oncology Department...