Involved-node radiotherapy and modern radiation treatment techniques in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma.

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical outcome of the involved-node radiotherapy (INRT) concept using modern radiation treatments (intensity-modulated radiotherapy [IMRT] or deep-inspiration breath-hold radiotherapy [DIBH) in patients with localized supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin lymphoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: All but 2 patients had early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma, and they were treated with chemotherapy prior to irradiation. Radiation treatments were delivered using the INRT concept according to European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer guidelines. IMRT was performed with the patient free-breathing. For the adapted breath-hold technique, a spirometer dedicated to DIBH radiotherapy was used. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy was performed with those patients. RESULTS: Fifty patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (48 patients with primary Hodgkin lymphoma, 1 patient with recurrent disease, and 1 patient with refractory disease) entered the study from January 2003 to August 2008. Thirty-two patients were treated with IMRT, and 18 patients were treated with the DIBH technique. The median age was 28 years (range, 17-62 years). Thirty-four (68%) patients had stage I - (I-IIA) IIA disease, and 16 (32%) patients had stage I - (I-IIB) IIB disease. All but 3 patients received three to six cycles of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD). The median radiation doses to patients treated with IMRT and DIBH were, respectively, 40 Gy (range, 21.6-40 Gy) and 30.6 Gy (range, 19.8-40 Gy). Protection of various organs at risk was satisfactory. Median follow-up was 53.4 months (range, 19.1-93 months). The 5-year progression-free and overall survival rates for the whole population were 92% (95% confidence interval [CI], 80%-97%) and 94% (95% CI, 75%-98%), respectively. Recurrences occurred in 4 patients: 2 patients had in-field relapses, and 2 patients had visceral recurrences. Grade 3 acute lung toxicity (transient pneumonitis) occurred in 1 case. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that patients with localized Hodgkin lymphoma can be safely and efficiently treated using the INRT concept and modern radiation treatment techniques such as IMRT and DIBH.

Early side effects of three-dimensional conformal external beam accelerated partial breast irradiation to a total dose of 40 Gy in one week (a phase II trial).

PURPOSE: Several accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) techniques are described in the literature, and apparently, the three-dimensional (3D)-conformal technique is being used increasingly. Nonetheless, the optimal radiation dose is not yet known. Here, we report feasibility and early toxicities of APBI delivering 40 Gy over 5 days, in a phase II trial. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From October 2007 to September 2008, 25 patients with pT1N0 cancer received 3D-conformal APBI. The prescribed radiation dose was 40 Gy in 4-Gy fractions given twice daily. This technique used two minitangents and an "en face" electron field. Toxicities were systematically assessed at 1, 2, and 6 months and then once every 6 months. RESULTS: The planning tumor volume for evaluation (PTV_EVAL) coverage was adequate: the mean dose to the PTV_EVAL was 41.8 Gy (range, 41-42.4 Gy). Mean doses to the ipsilateral lung and heart were 1.6 Gy (range, 1.0-2.3 Gy) and 1.2 Gy (range, 1.0-1.6 Gy), respectively. One and two months after completion of APBI, most patients had no or mild erythema (n=16 patients at 1 month; n=25 patients at 2 months); none of these patients developed moist desquamation. After a median follow-up of 12 months, only 1 patient had a significant moderate field contracture (grade 2). Other reported late toxicities were grade 1. CONCLUSIONS: 3D-conformal APBI (with two minitangents and an "en face" electron field) using a total dose of 40 Gy in 10 fractions twice daily over 5 days achieved appropriate PTV_EVAL coverage and offered significant sparing of normal tissue. Early tolerance was excellent.

Surgical clips assist in the visualization of the lumpectomy cavity in three-dimensional conformal accelerated partial-breast irradiation.

PURPOSE: To determine to what extent the placement of surgical clips helps delineate the cavity in three-dimensional conformal accelerated partial-breast irradiation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Planning CT images of 100 lumpectomy cavities were reviewed in a cohort of 100 consecutive patients. The cavities were determined and categorized by two radiation oncologists according to cavity visualization score criteria and the breast density score. The two physicians first attempted to delineate the lumpectomy cavity without clips and then with clips. RESULTS: In the case of high-density mammary tissue, the breast remodeling done during surgery does not enable the lumpectomy cavity to be sufficiently visualized. The use of surgical clips significantly improved the ability to visualize the lumpectomy cavity, with a 69% rate of concordance between physicians regardless of the breast tissue density. CONCLUSION: The placement of surgical clips at lumpectomy enables visualization of the lumpectomy cavity and allows upgrading of the cavity visualization score on CT scans obtained for accelerated partial-breast irradiation treatment planning.

3D-conformal accelerated partial breast irradiation treatment planning: the value of surgical clips in the delineation of the lumpectomy cavity.

BACKGROUND: Accurate localisation of the lumpectomy cavity (LC) volume is one of the most critical points in 3D-conformal Partial breast irradiation (3D-APBI) treatment planning because the irradiated volume is restricted to a small breast volume. Here, we studied the role of the placement of surgical clips at the 4 cardinal points of the lumpectomy cavity in target delineation. METHODS: Forty CT-based 3D-APBI plans were retrieved on which a total of 4 radiation oncologists, two trainee and two experienced physicians, outlined the lumpectomy cavity. The inter-observer variability of LC contouring was assessed when the CTV was defined as the delineation that encompassed both surgical clips and remodelled breast tissue. RESULTS: The conformity index of tumour bed delineation was significantly improved by the placement of surgical clips within the LC (median at 0.65). Furthermore, a better conformity index of LC was observed according to the experience of the physicians (median CI = 0.55 for trainee physicians vs 0.65 for experienced physicians). CONCLUSIONS: The placement of surgical clips improved the accuracy of lumpectomy cavity delineation in 3D-APBI. However, a learning curve is needed to improve the conformity index of the lumpectomy cavity.

Interfractional set-up errors evaluation by daily electronic portal imaging of IMRT in head and neck cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION: Interfractional set-up errors were assessed from daily portal images (PI) registration for head and neck cancer patients. We aimed to evaluate whether a daily PI is worthwhile and we derived the Planning Target Volume (PTV) margins from the estimation of systematic and random errors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty patients were treated in supine position with a fixed 5-point mask immobilisation system and head-and-knee supports. DRRs (Digitally Reconstructed Radiograph) were obtained from the planning CT-scan and considered the reference images to be compared with two orthogonal PI by matching bone anatomy landmarks. A total of 567 PI were done. For the set-up errors analysis, we determined the systematic, random, and overall standard deviations (SD), as well as the overall means in three directions (cranio caudal CC, medio lateral ML and anterior posterior AP). PTV-margins were calculated according to three methods. Differences of SD regarding the overall displacements among portals performed every day and each 2, 3, or 4 days were tested. RESULTS: The systematic set-up errors were less than 1 mm in the three directions whereas the random set-up errors were around 2 mm. PTV margins varied from 3 to 4 mm in the 3 directions. Corrections were significant in the CC direction only, in which the set-up error increased significantly when the scenario of one PI every 3 fractions was adopted. CONCLUSIONS: It is of practical importance to apply on-line protocols with contouring of the bony landmarks on the PI in order to decrease the systematic mean error in this patient group. This study suggested that a PI in AP and ML directions once a week and every two days in the CC direction would be adequate to overcome the problem of set-up errors.

Is intensity-modulated radiotherapy better than conventional radiation treatment and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for mediastinal masses in patients with Hodgkin's disease, and is there a role for beam orientation optimization and dose constraints assigned to virtual volumes?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of beam orientation optimization and the role of virtual volumes (VVs) aimed at protecting adjacent organs at risk (OARs), and to compare various intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) setups with conventional treatment with anterior and posterior fields and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients with mediastinal masses in Hodgkin's disease were treated with combined modality therapy (three to six cycles of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine [ABVD] before radiation treatment). Contouring and treatment planning were performed with Somavision and CadPlan Helios (Varian Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The gross tumor volume was determined according to the prechemotherapy length and the postchemotherapy width of the mediastinal tumor mass. A 10-mm isotropic margin was added for the planning target volume (PTV). Because dose constraints assigned to OARs led to unsatisfactory PTV coverage, VVs were designed for each patient to protect adjacent OARs. The prescribed dose was 40 Gy to the PTV, delivered according to guidelines from International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements Report No. 50. Five different IMRT treatment plans were compared with conventional treatment and 3D-CRT. RESULTS: Beam orientation was important with respect to the amount of irradiated normal tissues. The best compromise in terms of PTV coverage and protection of normal tissues was obtained with five equally spaced beams (5FEQ IMRT plan) using dose constraints assigned to VVs. When IMRT treatment plans were compared with conventional treatment and 3D-CRT, dose conformation with IMRT was significantly better, with greater protection of the heart, coronary arteries, esophagus, and spinal cord. The lungs and breasts in women received a slightly higher radiation dose with IMRT compared with conventional treatments. The greater volume of normal tissue receiving low radiation doses could be a cause for concern. CONCLUSIONS: The 5FEQ IMRT plan with dose constraints assigned to the PTV and VV allows better dose conformation than conventional treatment and 3D-CRT, notably with better protection of the heart and coronary arteries. Of concern is the "spreading out" of low doses to the rest of the patient's body.