• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.145-155
• /
• 2016

Purpose: Radiation therapy targeting axilla and groin lymph nodes improves regional disease control in locally advanced and high-risk skin cancers. However, trials generally used conventional two-dimensional radiotherapy (2D-RT), contributing towards relatively high rates of side effects from treatment. The goal of this study is to determine if three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) may improve radiation delivery to the target while avoiding organs at risk in the clinical context of skin cancer regional nodal irradiation. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with locally advanced/high-risk skin cancers underwent computed tomography simulation. The relevant axilla or groin planning target volumes and organs at risk were delineated using standard definitions. Paired t-tests were used to compare the mean values of several dose-volumetric parameters for each of the 4 techniques. Results: In the axilla, the largest improvement for 3D-CRT compared to 2D-RT was for homogeneity index (13.9 vs. 54.3), at the expense of higher lung $V_{20}$ (28.0% vs. 12.6%). In the groin, the largest improvements for 3D-CRT compared to 2D-RT were for anorectum $D_{max}$ (13.6 vs. 38.9 Gy), bowel $D_{200cc}$ (7.3 vs. 23.1 Gy), femur $D_{50}$ (34.6 vs. 57.2 Gy), and genitalia $D_{max}$ (37.6 vs. 51.1 Gy). IMRT had further improvements compared to 3D-CRT for humerus $D_{mean}$ (16.9 vs. 22.4 Gy), brachial plexus $D_5$ (57.4 vs. 61.3 Gy), bladder $D_5$ (26.8 vs. 36.5 Gy), and femur $D_{50}$ (18.7 vs. 34.6 Gy). Fewer differences were observed between IMRT and VMAT. Conclusion: Compared to 2D-RT and 3D-CRT, IMRT and VMAT had dosimetric advantages in the treatment of nodal regions of skin cancer patients.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.65-68
• /
• 2004

CyberKnife is a stereotactic radiosurgery system which could be used to treat many tumors and lesions. It provides the surgeon unparalleled flexibility in targeting using a compact light linear accelerator mounted on a robotic arm. Advanced image guidance technology tracks patient and target position during treatment, ensuring accuracy without the use of an invasive head frame. CyberKnife with Dynamic Tracking Software is cleared to provide radiosurgery for lesions anywhere in the body when radiation treatment is indicated. It has often been used to radiosurgically treat otherwise untreatable tumors and malformations. Moreover, this instrument treats tumors at body sites, most of which are unreachable by other stereotactic systems. Compared with conventional radiotherapy, it is fundamentally different that using non-invasive, frameless, no excessive radiation exposure to normal tissue. In oral malignant neoplasm, surgical excision and radiation therapy should be tried first, additionally chemotherapy could be considered. However, after failure of conventional therapies, patients had poor systemic condition and surgical limitation. So, CyberKnife could be a suitable therapy. A 49 years man was referred in recurred mandibular cancer treated by radiotherapy. The tumor was considered inoperable, because of extensive invasion and was not expected to good response to conventional therapies. We experienced a case of CyberKnife after 4 cycle chemotherapies, so we report it with review of literature.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.147-155
• /
• 2011

Purpose: This study was designed to determine the influencing factors and clinical course of pathologically proven cases of radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI). Materials and Methods: The pathologic records of twelve patients were reviewed; these patients underwent surgery following radiotherapy due to disease progression found by follow-up imaging. However, they were finally diagnosed with RIBI. All patients had been treated with 3-dimensional conventional fractionated radiotherapy and/or radiosurgery for primary or metastatic brain tumors with or without chemotherapy. The histological distribution was as follows: two falx meningioma, six glioblastoma multiform (GBM), two anaplastic oligodendroglioma, one low grade oligodendroglioma, and one small cell lung cancer with brain metastasis. Results: Radiation necrosis was noted in eight patients and the remaining four were diagnosed with radiation change. Gender (p = 0.061) and biologically equivalent dose $(BED)_3$ (p = 0.084) were the only marginally influencing factors of radiation necrosis. Median time to RIBI was 7.3 months (range, 0.5 to 61 months). Three prolonged survivors with GBM were observed. In the subgroup analysis of high grade gliomas, RIBI that developed <6 months after radiotherapy was associated with inferior overall survival rates compared to cases of RIBI that occurred ${\geq}6$ months (p = 0.085). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that RIBI could occur in early periods after conventional fractionated brain radiotherapy within normal tolerable dose ranges. Studies with a larger number of patients are required to identify the strong influencing factors for RIBI development.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.12
• /
• pp.5075-5079
• /
• 2015

Background: Adverse effects of treatment prolongation beyond 8 weeks with radiotherapy for cervical cancer have been established. Clinical data also show that cisplatin increases the biologically effective dose of radiotherapy. However, there are no data on the effect of overall treatment time in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with concomitant chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) in an Indian population. The present study concerned the feasibility of concurrent chemotherapy and interspacing brachytherapy during the course of external radiotherapy to reduce the overall treatment time and compare the normal tissue toxicity and loco-regional control with a conventional schedule. Materials and Methods: Between January 2009 and March 2012 fifty patients registered in the Gynaecologic Oncology Clinic of Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital with locally advanced cervical cancer (FIGO stage IIB-IIIB) were enrolled. The patients were randomly allocated to treatment arms based on a computer generated random number. Arm I (n=25) treatment consisted of irradiation of the whole pelvis to a dose of 50 Gy in 27 fractions, and weekly cisplatin $40mg/m^2$. High dose rate intra-cavitary brachytherapy (HDR-ICBT) was performed after one week of completion of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The prescribed dose for each session was 7Gy to point A for three insertions at one week intervals. Arm II (n=25) treatment consisted of irradiation of the whole pelvis to a dose of 50 Gy in 27 fractions. Mention HDR-ICBT ICRT was performed after 40Gy and 7Gy was delivered to point A for three insertions (days 23, 30, 37) at one week intervals. Cisplatin $20mg/m^2/day$ was administered from D1-5 and D24-28. Overall treatment time was taken from first day of EBRT to last day of HDR brachytherapy. The overall loco-regional response rate (ORR) was determined at 3 and 6 months. Results: A total of 46 patients completed the planned treatment. The overall treatment times in arm I and arm II were $65{\pm}12$ and $48{\pm}4$ days, respectively (p=0.001). At three and six months of follow-up the ORR for arm I was 96% while that for arm II was 88%. No statistically significant difference was apparent between the two arms. The overall rate of grade ${\geq}3$ toxicity was numerically higher in arm I (n=7) than in arm II (n=4) though statistical significance was not reached. None of the predefined prognostic factors like age, performance status, baseline haemoglobin level, tumour size, lymph node involvement, stage or histopathological subtype showed any impact on outcome. Conclusions: In the setting of concurrent chemoradiotherapy a shorter treatment schedule of 48 days may be feasible by interspacing brachytherapy during external irradiation. The response rates and toxicities were comparable.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.59-62
• /
• 2001

Objectives: We report an interim result of conformal radiotherapy in a patient with early stage cancer at the base of the tongue, which developed in a previously irradiated area. Materials and Methods: A 64-year-old male patient was diagnosed with T4N0M0 supraglottic cancer. He received 72Gy of radiation therapy from 21 November 1988 to 24 February 1989. He had local failure and underwent a salvage total laryngectomy on 28 August 1989. Subsequently, he did well. In early 1999, he suffered from throat pain. He had a 2.5cm ulcerative mass at the base of his tongue, in the area that had been irradiated previously. Biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma. After workup, he was diagnosed with base of tongue cancer with T2N0M0. Surgery was not feasible because the morbidity was not acceptable. Since it was difficult to re-irradiate the area with a curable dose using conventional 2D radiation therapy with an acceptable morbidity, we decided to try conformal radiotherapy. We used 7 static beam ports with field sizes from $7x6.4\;to\;8x8cm^2$, using 6 and 10MV photons. The fractionation regimen was 1.8Gy, 5 times per week. He received 64.8Gy in 36 fractions from 9 April 1999 to 1 June 1999. Results: In the 21 months since radiotherapy, the patient has not experienced any acute or chronic complications, such as xerostomia. He experienced relief of pain shortly after the start of radiotherapy, showed a complete response, and is still doing well. Conclusion: Conformal radiotherapy can be used to treat cancer that develops within a previously irradiated field, with curative intent.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.233-243
• /
• 2000

Purpose : First of all, this study was performed to assess the result of curative radiotherapy and to evaluate different possible prognostic factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx treated at the Pusan National University Hospital. The second goal of this study was by comparing our data with those of other study groups, to determine the better treatment policy of supraglottic cancer in future. Methods and Material : Thirty-two patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx were treated with radiotherapy at Pusan National University Hospital, from August 1985 to December 1996. Minimum follow-up period was 29 months, Twenty-seven patients (84.4$\%$) were followed up over 5 years. Radiotherapy was delivered with 6 MV photons to the primary laryngeal tumor and regional iymphatics with shrinking field technique. Ail patients received radiotherapy under conventional fractionated schedule (once a day). Median total tumor dose was 70.2 Gy (range, 55.8 to 75.6 Gy) on primary or gross tumor lesion. Thirteen patients had Induction chemotherapy with cisplatln and 5-fluorouracil (1-3 cycles). Patient distribution, according to the different stages, were as follows: stage I, 5/32 (15.6$\%$): stage II, 10/32 (31.3$\%$); stage III, 8/32 (25$\%$): stage IV, 9/32 (28.1$\%$). Results :The 5-year overall survival rate of the whole series (32 patients) was 51.7$\%$. The overall survival rate at 5-years was 80$\%$ in stage I, 66.7$\%$ in stage II, 42.9$\%$ in stage III, 25$\%$ in stage IV (p=0.0958). The S-year local control rates after radiotherapy were as fellows: stage I, 100$\%$; stage II, 60$\%$ stage III, 62.5$\%$; stage IV, 44.4$\%$ (p=0.233). Overall vocal preservation rates was 65.6$\%$, 100% In stage I, 70% in stage II, 62.5$\%$ In stage III, 44.4$\%$ in stage IV (p=0.210). There was no statistical significance in survival and local control rate between neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy group and radiotherapy alone group. Severe laryngeal edema was found in 2 cases after radiotllerapy, emergent tracheostomy was done. Four patients were died from distant metastsis, . three in lung, one in brain. Double primary tumor was found in 2 cases, one in lung (metachronous), another in thyroid (synchronous). Ulcerative lesions were revealed as unfavorable prognostic factor ( p=0.0215), and radiation dose (more or less than 70.2 Gy) was an important factor on survival (p=0.002). Conclusion : The role of radiotherapy treatment of supraglottic carcinoma is to important factor on survival and to preserve the laryngeal function. Based on our data and other studies, early and moderately advanced supragiottic carcinomas could be successfully treated with either consewative surgery or radiotherapy alone. Both modalities showed similar results in survival and vocal preservation. For the advanced cases, radiotherapy alone is Inadequate for curative aim and surgery combined with radiotherapy should be done in operable patients. When patients refuse operation or want to preserve vocal function, or for the patients with inoperable medical conditions, combined chemoradiotherapy (concurrent) or altered fractionated radiotherapy with or without radiosensitizer should be taken into consideration in future.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.145-156
• /
• 2015

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of Split VMAT planning(Contouring rectum divided into an upper and a lower for reduce rectum dose) compare to Conventional VMAT planning(Contouring whole rectum) for prostate cancer radiotherapy involving pelvic lymph nodes. Materials and Methods : A total of 9 cases were enrolled. Each case received radiotherapy with Split VMAT planning to the prostate involving pelvic lymph nodes. Treatment was delivered using TrueBeam STX(Varian Medical Systems, USA) and planned on Eclipse(Ver. 10.0.42, Varian, USA), PRO3(Progressive Resolution Optimizer 10.0.28), AAA(Anisotropic Analytic Algorithm Ver. 10.0.28). Lower rectum contour was defined as starting 1cm superior and ending 1cm inferior to the prostate PTV, upper rectum is a part, except lower rectum from the whole rectum. Split VMAT plan parameters consisted of 10MV coplanar $360^{\circ}$ arcs. Each arc had $30^{\circ}$ and $30^{\circ}$ collimator angle, respectively. An SIB(Simultaneous Integrated Boost) treatment prescription was employed delivering 50.4Gy to pelvic lymph nodes and 63~70Gy to the prostate in 28 fractions. $D_{mean}$ of whole rectum on Split VMAT plan was applied for DVC(Dose Volume Constraint) of the whole rectum for Conventional VMAT plan. In addition, all parameters were set to be the same of existing treatment plans. To minimize the dose difference that shows up randomly on optimizing, all plans were optimized and calculated twice respectively using a 0.2cm grid. All plans were normalized to the prostate $PTV_{100%}$ = 90% or 95%. A comparison of $D_{mean}$ of whole rectum, upperr ectum, lower rectum, and bladder, $V_{50%}$ of upper rectum, total MU and H.I.(Homogeneity Index) and C.I.(Conformity Index) of the PTV was used for technique evaluation. All Split VMAT plans were verified by gamma test with portal dosimetry using EPID. Results : Using DVH analysis, a difference between the Conventional and the Split VMAT plans was demonstrated. The Split VMAT plan demonstrated better in the $D_{mean}$ of whole rectum, Up to 134.4 cGy, at least 43.5 cGy, the average difference was 75.6 cGy and in the $D_{mean}$ of upper rectum, Up to 1113.5 cGy, at least 87.2 cGy, the average difference was 550.5 cGy and in the $D_{mean}$ of lower rectum, Up to 100.5 cGy, at least -34.6 cGy, the average difference was 34.3 cGy and in the $D_{mean}$ of bladder, Up to 271 cGy, at least -55.5 cGy, the average difference was 117.8 cGy and in $V_{50%}$ of upper rectum, Up to 63.4%, at least 3.2%, the average difference was 23.2%. There was no significant difference on H.I., and C.I. of the PTV among two plans. The Split VMAT plan is average 77 MU more than another. All IMRT verification gamma test results for the Split VMAT plan passed over 90.0% at 2 mm / 2%. Conclusion : As a result, the Split VMAT plan appeared to be more favorable in most cases than the Conventional VMAT plan for prostate cancer radiotherapy involving pelvic lymph nodes. By using the split VMAT planning technique it was possible to reduce the upper rectum dose, thus reducing whole rectal dose when compared to conventional VMAT planning. Also using the split VMAT planning technique increase the treatment efficiency.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.142-148
• /
• 2002

Although ionizing radiation (IR) has been used to treat the various human cancers, IR is cytotoxic not only to cancer cells but to the adjacent normal tissue. Since normal tissue complications are the limiting factor of cancer radiotherapy, one of the major concerns of IR therapy is to maximize the cancer cell killing and to minimize the toxic side effects on the adjacent normal tissue. As an attempt to develop a method to monitor the degree of radiation exposure to normal tissues during radiotherapy, we investigated the transcriptional responses of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) following IR using cDNA microarray chip containing 1,221 (1.2 K) known genes. Since conventional radiotherapy is delivered at about 24 h intervals at 180 to 300 cGy/day, we analyzed the transcriptional responses ex-vivo irradiated human PBL at 200 cGy for 24 h-period. We observed and report on 1) a group of genes transiently induced early after IR at 2 h, 2) of genes induced after IR at 6 h, 3) of genes induced after IR at 24 h and on 4) a group of genes whose expression patters were not changed after IR. Since Biological consequences of IR involve generation of various reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thus oxidative stress induced by the ROS is known to damage normal tissues during radiotherapy, we further tested the temporal expression profiles of genes involved in ROS modulation by RT-PCR. Specific changes of 6 antioxidant genes were identified in irradiated PBL among 9 genes tested. Our results suggest the potential of monitoring post-radiotherapy changes in temporal expression profiles of a specific set of genes as a measure of radiation effects on normal tissues. This type of approach should yield more useful information when validated in in vivo irradiated PBL from the cancer patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 1995

Purpose : To evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy for the low-grade astrocy-tomas and confirm the variables influencing treatment results. Materials and Methods : Forty-six patients with low-grade astrocytoma received radiotherapy after surgical removal (36 patients) or biopsy (10 patients) from 1979 to 1990. Twenty patients had grade I histology and 26 had grade II. External radiotherapy was done by conventional schedule with the total dose of 45 to 60 Gy (median: 54 Gy). The median follow-up period was 5 years. Results : The 2- and 5-year survival rates were $80\%$ and $72\%$, respectively and the 2- and 5-year progression-free survival was $75\%$ and $63\%$, respectively. The survival was influenced significantly by the histologic grade, the histologic type, and performance status. Major complication was not found. Conclusion: In spite of good survival, the local failure was still the major problem. Age and the extent of surgery as well as three favorable factors should be considered in the future treatments.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.195-202
• /
• 1999

Purpose : We peformed this study to evaluate the prognostic factors and the effect of induction chemotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods : A retrospective analysis was done for 130 patients with locally advanced NSCLC treated with curative radiotherapy alone or induction chemo-radiotherapy from January 1986 to October 1996. Eighty-five patients were treated with radiotherapy alone, forty-five with induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Age, sex, performance status, histopathologic type, and stage were evenly distributed in both groups. The patients were treated with 6 MV or 10 MV X-ray. Conventional fractionation with daily fraction size 1$.8\~2.0$ Gy was done. Of the patients, 129 patients received total dose above 59.6 Gy ($56\~66$ Gy, median 60 Gy). Induction chemotherapy regimen were CAP (Cyclo-phosphamide, Adriamycin, Cisplatin) in 6 patients, MVP (Mitomycin, Vinblastine, Cisplatin) in 9 patients, MIC (Mitomycin, Ifosfamide Cisplatin) in 13 patients, and EP (Etoposide, Cisplatin) in 17 patients. Chemotherapy was done in $2\~5$ cycles (median 2). Results : Overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rate (YSR) for all patients were $41.5\%,{\;}13.7\%,{\;}and{\;}7\%$, respectively (median survival time 11 months). According to treatment modality, median survival time, overall 1-, 2-, and 3-YSR were 9 months, $32.9\%,{\;}10.\5%,{\;}6\%$ for radiotherapy alone group, and 14 months, $57.8\%,{\;}20\%,{\;}7.6\%$ for induction chemotherapy group, respectively (f=0.0005). Complete response (CR) to overall treatments was $25\%$ (21/84) in radiotherapy alone and $40.5\%$ (17/42) in induction chemotherapy group (p=0.09). The Prognostic factors affecting overall survival were hemoglobin level (p=0.04), NSE (neuron-specific enolase) level (p=0.004), and respense to overall treatment(p=0.004). According to treatment modalities, NSE (neuron-specific enolase) (p=0.006) and response to overall treatment (p=0.003) were associated with overall survival in radiotherapy alone group, and response to overall treatment (p=0.007) in induction chemotherapy group. The failure Pattern analysis revealed no significant difference between treatment modalities. But, in patients with CR to overall treatment, distant metastasis were found in 11/19 patients with radiotherapy alone, and 3/13 patients with induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy (p=0.07). Locoregional failure patterns were not different between two groups (10/19 vs 6/13). Conclusion : Induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy achieved increased 2YSR compared to radiotherapy alone, At least in CR patients, there was decreased tendency in distant metastasis with induction chemotherapy. But, locoregional failures and long-term survival were not improved. Thus, there is need of more effort to increasing local control and further decreasing distant metastasis.