A Study on Conventional IMRT and RapidArc Treatment Planning Techniques for Head and Neck Cancers

Abstract

IMRT Planning studyHead and neck cancers a b s t r a c t Aim: To evaluate the performance of volumetric arc modulation with RapidArc against conventional IMRT for head and neck cancers.Background: RapidArc is a novel technique that has recently been made available for clin-

TPF induction chemotherapy and concomitant irradiation with cisplatin and cetuximab in unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

“…In the case of cetuximab, the cause was severe radiodermatitis (grade 3, 64%) combined with a grade 3 cetuximab‐related skin rash (24%). Mucosal toxicity and, possibly, some other side effects (eg, xerostomia, dysphagia) would be decreased with the implementation of intensity‐modulated radiation therapy and a more conformal dose distribution, which was not in routine use in our department at that time . Severe skin damage provoked by joint action of megavoltage X‐rays, CP, and cetuximab resulted in a pronounced hypopigmentation at sites of the most intensive dermal reaction within the RT field in 6 of our patients, which is usually not seen when RT is combined with only CP (Figure ).…”

“…Second, the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition produced by cetuximab when combined with radiotherapy (RT) significantly improves locoregional control and OS over RT alone . In addition, technological advances in RT delivery have substantially improved the therapeutic index and ensured better compliance with the applied therapies …”

Initial experience of hypofractionated radiation retreatment with true beam and flattening filter free beam in selected case reports of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma

“…3 "Dose sculpting" on active tumor site with IMRT, as volumetric modulation arc therapy with the RapidArc technique of the four current cases, is a helpful approach to minimize the radiation dose to previously irradiated tissue. 4,30,31 Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) reduces repositioning errors and is used to monitor the treatment region. 3 TrueBeam is a platform for advanced radiotherapy that combines the RapidArc technique and IGRT by means of ConeBeam CTs, with the innovative possibility to deliver high doses per fraction in a few minutes.…”

Is dose escalation achievable for esophageal carcinoma?

“…VMAT can provide similar or even better OAR sparing and PTV coverage than IMRT with a shorter delivery time. [8][9][10][11][12] Helical Tomotherapy (HT) (TomoTherapy Inc., Madison, WI) is a modality for delivering IMRT treatments using a rotating linear accelerator.…”