Highly hypofractionated schedules for localized prostate cancer: Recommendations of the GETUG radiation oncology group.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has become treatment option for localized prostate cancer but the evidence base remains incomplete. Several clinical studies, both prospective and retrospective, have been published. However, treatment techniques, target volumes and dose constraints lack consistency between studies. Based on the current available literature, the French Genito-Urinary Group (GETUG) suggests that.

Stereotactic prostate focal reirradiation therapy for local recurrence: preliminary results of Hartmann Oncology Radiotherapy Group.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to report our experience and to evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of focal salvage stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with post-radiation local recurrence of prostate cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients treated with Cyberknife ® between October 2014 and April 2017 at our institution for a focal reirradiation delivered to the prostate/prostatic bed for local recurrence after radical or adjuvant radiotherapy. All patients underwent prostate biopsies at recurrence at the time of fiducial markers placement, had choline PET/CT and pelvic MRI. The treatment consisted in 36 Gy in six fractions delivered every other day. Post reirradiation toxicities were assessed according to the CTCAE v4 (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events). RESULTS: 42 patients were treated with followed with a median follow-up of 21 months (range 3 - 31). 34 patients had biopsy proven recurrence. The initial treatment was radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy for 9 patients and radiation therapy alone for 33 patients. 23 patients from the group of prostate reirradiation had placement of rectal spacers. No Grade 4 or 5 toxicity were observed. 27 acute urinary events were recorded: 18 patients experienced Grade 1, 9 patients experienced Grade 2 toxicity and 1 patient experienced Grade 3 urinary toxicity, namely cystitis and/or dysuria. No Grade 2 or more digestive toxicity was observed. Rectal doses were significantly lower with rectal spacers. CONCLUSION: Salvage focal Cyberknife ® seems feasible and show promising results. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: SBRT for local prostate cancer recurrence after initial radiotherapy is well tolerated with short follow-up.

Comparison between two different algorithms used for pretreatment QA via aSi portal images.

Several algorithms exist to perform quality assurance for volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatments based on electronic portal imaging devices (EPID). These algorithms are used to compare doses (convert into water, GLAaS) and fluences (in amorphous silicon (aSi), Varian portal dosimetry). The aim of this study is to compare the two methods using clinical data. In this study, Varian portal dosimetry (VPD) and Epiqa solutions were compared. We used a same set of patient images data treated with 6 MV and 20 MV photon energies and different locations. The response of the portal imaging device was also investigated with different field sizes, monitor units, dose rates, sag effect, and linac daily output. All images were acquired on an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) positioned at source detector distance (SDD) of 100 cm. A virtual water phantom was used for Epiqa to calculate the dose matrices at the maximum depth doses dmax. The 2D gamma evaluation index (GAI) was performed to quantitatively compare the results given by the two solutions. The response of the EPID gave a good agreement with Epiqa (deviation less than 1%) for MU greater than 20 for both 6 MV and 20 MV photon energies. For VPD, the upward sloping trend showed a good agreement for MU higher than 50. Dose rate evaluations for both methods gave a deviation of, respectively, 0.4 and 0.5 % for 6 MV and 20 MV. The gamma criteria of 3 mm for distance to agreement and 3 % for dose difference was, as mean ± 1SD, 99.81% ± 1.48% and 99.42% ± 0.97% for VPD and Epiqa, respectively, for 6 MV photon energy. The mean values of the gamma criteria for the collected data using 20 MV photon energy were, respectively, 98.33% ± 2.41% and 98.12% ± 1.99% for VPD and Epiqa. The output constancy deviation correction (a 10 × 10cm² reference field plan to obtain absorbed dose despite the linac monitor daily variations) showed a mean deviation of, respectively, 0.07% ± 0.57% and 0.16% ± 1.38% for 6 MV and 20 MV photon energies. For sag effect, a slight improvement was noticed for realignment of the integrated image and was 0.25%± 0.69% for 6 MV and 0.40% ± 0.57% for 20 MV. The clinical data were used for pretreatment QA with the two systems, both VPD and Epiqa software, showed acceptable and similar results for low and high energies. Furthermore, Epiqa shows better linearity response for low MU.