ABSTRACT
Objectives: The aim of this study is to address the limitation of combined intracavitary-interstitial (IC/IS) brachytherapy (BT) in locally advanced cervical cancer using standardized applicators and to determine the optimal dose distribution in patients with challenging tumors, innovative methods of customizing and optimizing the IS needle configuration for combined IC/IS BT are proposed and investigated. Materials and Methods: A software module that could customize the IS needle configuration and subsequently generate the digital model of guiding template for three-dimensional printing was developed and integrated into our in-house treatment planning system for BT. The inverse optimization method based on the technique of mixed-integer linear programming was introduced to determine the needle tracks out of a candidate pool and dwell times at corresponding locations to best meet dose objectives. A treatment planning study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and performance of the proposed methods. Results: The workflow for combined IC/IS BT with customized and inverse optimized IS needle configuration was presented. Dosimetric results of the treatment planning study showed that sufficient target coverage could be obtained with the customized IS needle configuration for challenging cases. The proposed dose-based optimization method for IS needle configuration was feasible and effective. Improved target coverage and organ-at-risk sparing were achieved using the inverse planning method. Conclusions: Using the proposed methods of customizing and optimizing the IS needle configuration, the limitation in the standardized design of combined IC/IS applicators can be addressed, and sufficient target coverage is obtained in cervical cancer patients with unfavorable tumor topography and/or extra lateral expansion.
ABSTRACT
Objective To compare the dosimetric parameters between the use of Tandem and Ring (TR;Nucletron#090.617) or Tandem and Ovoid (TO;Nucletron#189.730) applicators during three-dimensional (3D) high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BT) for cervical cancer.Methods The records of 40 cervical cancer (ⅡB-ⅣA) patients treated with 3D-image-guided HDR-BT were reviewed.Of these 40 patients, 20 were treated with the TO applicator, and 20 with the TR applicator.The D100% and V150% of the clinical target volume (CTV) and the D2 cc of organs at risk (OAR)(the rectum, bladder, and small intestine) during 3D-HDR-BT using TO and TR were compared using the independent sample t-test.ResultsOverall metrics:CTV volume:66.04±13.86 cm3(TR) vs.65.67±15.08 cm3(TO)(P=0.052);CTV D100:3.71±0.34 Gy (TR) vs.3.37±0.49 Gy (TO)(P=0.016);CTV V150%:0.54±0.02(TR) vs.0.56±0.04(TO)(P=0.034);rectum D2 cc:3.38±0.30 Gy (TR) vs.2.95±0.80 Gy (TO)P=0.037);bladder D2 cc:4.33±0.39 Gy (TR) vs.2.93±1.27 Gy (TO)(P=0.00);and small ntestine D2 cc:3.04±1.02 Gy (TR) vs.3.41±0.57 Gy (TO)(P=0.171).Conclusions TR has better CTV coverage than TO during 3D HDR brachytherapy for cervical cancer.In addition, D2 cc of the rectum and bladder were both igher with TR than with TO, though there is no significant dosimetric difference in the small intestine between the two applicators.Therefore, tumor location, extent of invasion, and vaginal conditions should be considered when selecting the suitable pplicator for the treatment of cervical cancer.
ABSTRACT
Foram determinados os níveis de dieldrin no sangue de 18 lavradores profissionalmente expostos ao aldrin, tendo sido encontrados valores muito elevados (média = 0,49 fLgjml; desvio padrão 0,36 ppm), acima dos citados na literatura em casos de intoxicação. Não pôde ser detectada correlação entre o nível sanguíneo de dieldrin e o tempo de exposição ao aldri n, o intervalo entre a exposição e a coleta do sangue, a quantidade do composto empregado ou a natureza da exposição. O grau de contaminação detectado, decorrente principalmente da manipulação imprudente do pesticida, enfatiza a necessidade de medidas mais efetivas na conscientização dos aplicadores de aldrin com relação ao risco assumido, e de fiscalização pelos órgãos responsáveis (AU).