[Normofractionated breast irradiation in breast cancer. Indications and benefits]. / Irradiation normofractionnée des cancers du sein. Indications et bénéfices.

Whole-breast normofractionated irradiation following breast-conserving surgery is the reference treatment. It delivers a dose of 50Gy in 25 fractions of 2Gy to the reference point, and, in some patients, an additional dose of 16Gy in 8 fractions of 2Gy in the tumor bed. Long-term results and toxicity of this irradiation scheme was prospectively evaluated in several randomised trials and meta-analyses, in invasive cancers as well as in ductal carcinoma in situ. The average 10-year rate of in breast recurrences was 6 % in these trials, with limited cardiac and pulmonary toxicity and limited rate of severe fibrosis. Identification of risk factors of recurrences may help to design new irradiation schemes adapted to tumor biology. The new irradiation schemes must be rigorously evaluated in the long-term in the frame of prospective clinical trials, in order to validate them as new standards of treatment.

[Partial delegation to radiation therapists of the control by onboard imaging of patient positioning]. / Délégation partielle du contrôle de position du patient par imagerie embarquée aux manipulateurs en électroradiologie.

PURPOSE: Daily set up of patients with prostate cancer using orthogonal kV/kV imaging and weekly set up control require 1h to 1h30 of off line revision by a radio-oncologist per day and per accelerator. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility to delegate this control to radiation therapists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The files of 33 patients (including 13 with prostate cancer) treated from November 2010 to February 2011 on a Varian™ Clinac IX accelerator with an OBI™ system were evaluated. Radiation therapists made the daily kV/kV imaging. Radiation therapists made the online control by kV/kV for patient repositioning and radio-oncologists made the offline reviews; the results were compared and analysed (seven radiation therapists and seven radio-oncologists). For an isocentre displacement of 5mm, the radiation therapist had to call the radio-oncologist to make a medical decision (treatment or patient displacement). The difference of measures and the concordance of decisions between radiation therapists and radio-oncologists were calculated. RESULTS: Five hundred and fifty-six measures were made for 33 treatments, including 226 measures for prostate cancer treatment. The difference of measures between radiation therapists and radio-oncologists was 3mm or less in 93.7% for all treatments and 96.2% for prostate cancer treatment. The concordance of decision between radiation therapists and radio-oncologists for measures up to 4mm was 97% (CI95±2%) vs. 57% (CI95±10%) for measures equal to or higher than 5mm (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Radiation therapists are able to do daily set up using kV/kV on the bony structures of patients with prostate cancer, with a risk of disagreement higher than 3mm less than 4%. The weekly set up controls (different primaries) can be delegated to the radiation therapists, subject to an accurate procedure using a medical alert for a given threshold. Training and competence certification are required to secure the process.

[Best practice guide for radiation therapy of non-small cell bronchial cancers]. / Guide de bonne pratique pour la radiothérapie thoracique exclusive ou postopératoire des carcinomes non à petites cellules.

The objective was the drafting of a practical document intended for radiotherapists and radiophysicists, describing the technique of irradiation of a non small cell bronchial cancer. The good practices concern the care of patients affected by bronchial cancer localized in the thorax and inoperable or patients who must undergo postoperative irradiation. The document has been developed according to a methodology aiming to join the current scientific data from an analysis of the literature on the subject and the assessment of radiotherapists, radiophysicists, lung specialists and methodologists from Rhône-Alpes area. From the stages necessary for the good progress of a radiotherapy, the writers of this document proposed common definitions concerning the centering and the location of the zone to be treated, the calculation of the dose distribution, the preparation of the patient for the treatment, the treatment and the surveillance during the treatment. The recommendations of this guide took into account the peculiarities bound to the nature of the treated region and more particularly the lung heterogeneity, respiratory movements and the radiosensibility of healthy lung tissue. Even if the technical aspect of the radiotherapy was particularly developed, the interest accorded to patient information takes on all its importance for a therapeutic coverage of quality. The authors of the document wished that this Guide of Good Practices, which will be regularly updated, helps the radiotherapists and allows them to harmonize their practices.

[Pulse dose-rate brachytherapy and treatment of uterine cervix cancer: impact of a 3D or a 2D dosimetric support]. / Curiethérapie utérovaginale de bas débit pulsé: influence du support dosimétrique.

PURPOSE: To evaluate two dosimetric supports used in pulse dose rate brachytherapy (PDR): coverage of target volumes, dose to organs at risk, residual tumor after surgery, survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients treated for uterine cervix tumor first by brachytherapy PDR had a dosimetric CT-scan after implantation. For 9 patients, the treatment was planned from standard radiographies and then reported on CT-scan images. For 11 patients, it was directly planned from CT-scan. Six weeks after, 18 patients underwent surgery. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 22 months, 2 year actuarial survival was 89%. Six patients developed grade II urinary or gynecological complications (LENT SOMA scale). No residual tumor was found for 12 patients (7 with a 3D treatment and 5 a 2 D treatment). Ninety-five percent of CTVHR received 53 Gy (2D treatment) or 63 Gy (3D treatment). Two cm3 of bladder wall received 63 Gy (2D) or 74 Gy (3D) although 2 cm3 of rectal wall received 37 Gy (2D) and 35 Gy (3D). CONCLUSION: Using CT-scan made us improve the coverage of the uterine cervix but increase the dose received by the bladder, without increasing the rate of histological remission after surgery. We should be prudent before changing our practice.