In patients with high-risk soft tissue sarcomas, IORT +/- EBRT after limb-preserving surgery achieves high local control rates. The risk of normal tissue toxicities is comparable to conventional limb-sparing treatment.
Purpose-To evaluate the impact of rotational setup errors on dose distribution in spinal stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).
Methods and Materials-39Cone Beam CT (CBCT) scans from 16 SBRT treatment courses were analyzed. Alignment (including rotation) to the treatment planning CT was performed, followed by translational alignment that reproduced the actual positioning. The planned fluence was then applied to determine the delivered dose to the targets and organs at risk.Results-The mean PTV volume was 71.01 mL (SD ± 60.05, range 22.62 -250.65 mL). Prescribed dose (to the 62 -82% isodose) was 14 -30 Gy in one to six fractions. The average rotational displacements were 0.38 ± 1.21, 1.12 ± 1.82 and −0.51 ± 2.0 degrees with maximal rotations of −4.29, 5.76 and −6.64 degrees along the x (pitch), y (yaw), and z (roll) axes, respectively. PTV coverage changed by an average of −0.07 Gy (SD ± 0.20 Gy) between the rotated and the original plan, representing 0.92% of prescription dose (SD ± 2.65%).For the spinal cord, planned with 2 mm expansion to create a planning organ at risk volume (PRV), the difference in minimum dose to the upper 10% of the PRV volume was 0.03 ± 0.3 Gy (maximum 0.9 Gy). Other organs at risk saw insignificant changes in dose.Conclusions-PRV expansion generally assures safe treatment delivery in the face of typically encountered rotations. Given the variability of delivered dose within this expansion for certain cases, caution should be taken to properly interpret doses to the cord when considering clinical dose limits.
PURPOSE: Historical racial disparities in lung cancer surgery rates resulted in lower survival in Black patients. Our objective was to examine racial differences in thoracic radiation treatments and toxicities in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A large institutional review board–approved statewide patient-level database of patients with stage II-III non–small-cell lung cancer who received definitive thoracic radiation from March 2012 to November 2019 was analyzed to assess associations between race and other variables. Race (White or Black) was defined by patient self-report. Provider-reported toxicity was defined by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Patient-reported toxicity was determined by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Lung quality-of-life instrument. Univariable and multivariable regression models were fitted to assess relationships between race and variables of interest. Spearman rank-correlation coefficients were calculated between provider-reported toxicity and similar patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred forty-one patients from 24 institutions with mean age 68 years (range, 38-94 years) were evaluated. Race was not significantly associated with radiation or chemotherapy approach. There was significantly increased patient-reported general pain in Black patients at the preradiation and end-of-radiation time points. Black patients were significantly less likely to have provider-reported grade 2+ pneumonitis (odds ratio 0.36, P = .03), even after controlling for known patient and treatment factors. Correlation coefficients between provider- and patient-reported toxicities were generally similar across race groups except for a stronger correlation between patient- and provider-reported esophagitis in White patients. CONCLUSION: In this large multi-institutional study, we found no evidence of racial differences in radiation treatment or chemotherapy approaches. We did, however, unexpectedly find that Black race was associated with lower odds of provider-reported grade 2+ radiation pneumonitis. The stronger correlation between patient- and provider-reported esophagitis and swallowing symptoms for White patients also suggests possible under-recognition of symptoms in Black patients. Further research is needed to study the implications for Black patients.
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