This study aimed to compare the post-modified radical mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRMRT) for left-sided breast cancer utilizing 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy with field-in-field technique (3DCRT-FinF), 5-field intensity-modulated radiation therapy (5F-IMRT) and 2- partial arc volumetric modulated arc therapy (2P-VMAT). We created the 3 different PMRMRT plans for each of the ten consecutive patients. We performed Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Dunn’s-type multiple comparisons to establish a hierarchy in terms of plan quality and dosimetric benefits. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Both 5F-IMRT and 2P-VMAT plans exhibited similar PTV coverage (V95%), hotspot areas (V110%) and conformity (all p > 0.05), and significantly higher PTV coverage compared with 3DCRT-FinF (both p < 0.001). In addition, 5F-IMRT plans provided significantly less heart and left lung radiation exposure than 2P-VMAT (all p < 0.05). The 3DCRT-FinF plans with accurately estimated CTV displacement exhibited enhanced target coverage but worse organs at risk (OARs) sparing compared with those plans with underestimated displacements. Our results indicate that 5F-IMRT has dosimetrical advantages compared with the other two techniques in PMRMRT for left-sided breast cancer given its optimal balance between PTV coverage and OAR sparing (especially heart sparing). Individually quantifying and minimizing CTV displacement can significantly improve dosage distribution.

BackgroundThe study aimed to appraise the dose differences between Acuros XB (AXB) and Anisotropic Analytical Algorithm (AAA) in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) treatment for lung cancer with flattening filter free (FFF) beams. Additionally, the potential role of the calculation grid size (CGS) on the dose differences between the two algorithms was also investigated.MethodsSBRT plans with 6X and 10X FFF beams produced from the CT scan data of 10 patients suffering from stage I lung cancer were enrolled in this study. Clinically acceptable treatment plans with AAA were recalculated using AXB with the same monitor units (MU) and identical multileaf collimator (MLC) settings. Furthermore, different CGS (2.5 mm and 1 mm) in the two algorithms was also employed to investigate their dosimetric impact. Dose to planning target volumes (PTV) and organs at risk (OARs) between the two algorithms were compared. PTV was separated into PTV_soft (density in soft-tissue range) and PTV_lung (density in lung range) for comparison.ResultsThe dose to PTV_lung predicted by AXB was found to be 1.33 ± 1.12% (6XFFF beam with 2.5 mm CGS), 2.33 ± 1.37% (6XFFF beam with 1 mm CGS), 2.81 ± 2.33% (10XFFF beam with 2.5 mm CGS) and 3.34 ± 1.76% (10XFFF beam with 1 mm CGS) lower compared with that by AAA, respectively. However, the dose directed to PTV_soft was comparable. For OARs, AXB predicted a slightly lower dose to the aorta, chest wall, spinal cord and esophagus, regardless of whether the 6XFFF or 10XFFF beam was utilized. Exceptionally, dose to the ipsilateral lung was significantly higher with AXB.ConclusionsAXB principally predicts lower dose to PTV_lung compared to AAA and the CGS contributes to the relative dose difference between the two algorithms.

The addition of IBMs from the primary tumor and Ln improved the prognostic performance of the models containing clinical factors only. These combined models may improve pre-treatment individualized prediction of OS for HNC patients.

The authors Ren Luo and Mei Li contributed equally to this work.Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a nomogram for radiation-induced hypothyroidism (RHT) prediction. Methods: We collected data from 164 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in our previous prospective study. Biochemical hypothyroidism was defined as a serum thyroid-stimulating hormone level greater than the normal value. We collected both clinical and dose-volume factors. A univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify RHT risk factors. Optimal predictors were selected according to the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). We then selected the Cox regression models that best balanced the prediction performance and practicability to build a nomogram for RHT prediction. Results: There were 38 (23.2%) patients who developed RHT, and the median follow-up was 24 months. The univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that gender, minimum dose, mean dose (D mean ) and V 25 -V 60 [V x (%), the percentage of thyroid volume receiving .x Gy] of the thyroid were significantly associated with RHT. The variables of gender, receiving chemotherapy or not (chemo), D mean and V 50 were selected using the LASSO analysis. A nomogram based on a three-variable (gender, chemo and V 50 ) Cox regression model was constructed, and its concordance index was 0.72. Good accordance between prediction and observation was showed by calibration curves in the probability of RHT at 18, 24 and 30 months. Conclusion: This study built a nomogram for RHT in NPC survivors by analyzing both clinical and dose-volume parameters using LASSO. Thus, the individual dose constraint could be achieved in a visual format. Advances in knowledge: This study used LASSO to more accurately address the multicollinear problem between variables. The resulting nomogram will help physicians predict RHT. INTRODUCTIONRadiation-induced hypothyroidism (RHT) is a common late complication after irradiation to the neck area. The majority of early RHT cases are silent because subclinical hypothyroidism (HT) can be detected only by thyroid hormone tests [elevated serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and normal serum free thyroxine (fT4) and/ or serum free triiodothyronine (fT3)]. However, other cases show overt disease [overt hypothyroidism (overt HT)] that presents with elevated TSH and decreased fT4 and/or fT3. The incidence of subclinical HT is 24-50%, and overt HT develops in 6-20% of patients with head and neck cancer who receive radiotherapy (RT).1 HT has been demonstrated to be correlated with the development of cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders in addition to diabetes mellitus, 2-7 which increases the adverse effects of RHT on patient quality of life.

This study describes the dosimetric superiority of RapidArc with a 15-cm jaw width restriction and explores the feasibility of using RapidArc for the definitive treatment of cervical cancer.

This study aimed to determine the optimal fraction scheme (FS) in patients with small peripheral non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) with the 4 × 12 Gy scheme as the reference. CT simulation data for sixteen patients diagnosed with primary NSCLC or metastatic tumor with a single peripheral lesion ≤3 cm were used in this study. Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans were designed based on ten different FS of 1 × 25 Gy, 1 × 30 Gy, 1 × 34 Gy, 3 × 15 Gy, 3 × 18 Gy, 3 × 20 Gy, 4 × 12 Gy, 5 × 12 Gy, 6 × 10 Gy and 10 × 7 Gy. Five different radiobiological models were employed to predict the tumor control probability (TCP) value. Three other models were utilized to estimate the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) value to the lung and the modified equivalent uniform dose (mEUD) value to the chest wall (CW). The 1 × 30 Gy regimen is recommended to achieve 4.2% higher TCP and slightly higher NTCP and mEUD values to the lung and CW compared with the 4 × 12 Gy schedule, respectively. This regimen also greatly shortens the treatment duration. However, the 3 × 15 Gy schedule is suggested in patients where the lung-to-tumor volume ratio is small or where the tumor is adjacent to the CW.

PurposeTo study the dosimetric difference between fixed-jaw volumetric modulated radiotherapy (FJ-VMAT) and large-field volumetric modulated radiotherapy (LF-VMAT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with cervical lymph node metastasis.MethodsComputed tomography (CT) datasets of 10 NPC patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy were used to generate LF-VMAT and FJ-VMAT plans in the Eclipse version 10.0 treatment planning system. These two kinds of plans were then compared with respect to planning-target-volume (PTV) coverage, conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), organ-at-risk sparing, monitor units (MUs) and treatment time (TT).ResultsThe FJ-VMAT plans provided lower D2% of PGTVnd (PTV of lymph nodes), PTV1 (high-risk PTV) and PTV2 (low-risk PTV) than did the LF-VMAT plans, whereas no significant differences were observed in PGTVnx (PTV of primary nasopharyngeal tumor). The FJ-VMAT plans provided lower doses delivered to the planning organ at risk (OAR) volumes (PRVs) of both brainstem and spinal cord, both parotid glands and normal tissue than did the LF-VMAT plans, whereas no significant differences were observed with respect to the oral cavity and larynx. The MUs of the FJ-VMAT plans (683 ± 87) were increased by 22% ± 12% compared with the LF-VMAT plans (559 ± 62). In terms of the TT, no significant difference was found between the two kinds of plans.ConclusionsFJ-VMAT was similar or slightly superior to LF-VMAT in terms of PTV coverage and was significantly superior in terms of OAR sparing, at the expense of increased MUs.

PurposeTo investigate the performance of using partial arc (PA) and full arc with avoidance sectors (FAAS) in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of peripheral lung cancer with flattening filter free (FFF) beams.MethodsEighteen patients with primary (T1 or T2) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or lung metastatic were selected for this study. Nine patients with a gross tumor volume (GTV) <= 10 cc were designated as the small tumor group. The other nine patients with a GTV between 10 cc and 44 cc were assigned to the large tumor group. The treatment plans were generated in eighteen patients using PA and FAAS techniques, respectively, and delivered with a Varian TrueBeam Linac. Dosimetry of the target and organs at risk (OARs), monitor unit (MU), out-of-field dose, and delivery time were statistically analyzed. Delta4 and portal dosimetry were employed to evaluate the delivery accuracy.ResultsFor the small tumor group, compared with the PA plans, the FAAS plans significantly achieved a lower MU/fraction, out-of-field dose and a shorter treatment time (p<0.05), but the target dose was slightly higher than that delivered by PA plans (p<0.05). For the large tumor group, the PA plans significantly attained a shorter treatment time (p<0.05), whereas MU/fraction, out-of-field dose and dose to OARs were comparable between the two plans (p>0.05). Furthermore, all plans generated from the eighteen patients achieved a high pass rate in patient-specific quality assurance, with all the gamma indices greater than 97% at the Γ3mm, 3% threshold.ConclusionThis study suggests that the FAAS technique is more beneficial for the small tumor patients undergoing lung SBRT with FFF beams because of its higher treatment efficiency and MU reduction. However, for the large tumor patients, the PA technique is recommended due to its higher treatment efficiency.