Inge Noever

Trismus in patients with oropharyngeal cancer: relationship with dose in structures of mastication apparatus.

Our aim was to assess the correlation between the radiation therapy (RT) dose to the mastication apparatus and trismus of oropharyngeal cancer patients.

Rotterdam and Brussels CT-based neck nodal delineation compared with the surgical levels as defined by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE Rotterdam and Brussels have independently published guidelines for the definition and delineation of CT-based neck nodal Levels I-VI. This paper first reports on the adequacy of contouring of the Rotterdam delineation protocol. Rotterdam and Brussels differed slightly in translating the original surgical level definitions as proposed by the 2002 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) to CT guidelines. To adapt to the surgical level definitions to come to a unifying concept, adjustments of both CT-based classifications are proposed. METHODS AND MATERIALS The clinical neck nodal target volumes of patients irradiated in Rotterdam by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) between December 1998 and March 2001 were reviewed. Thirty-four patients with N0 and 27 patients with N+ disease with primary tumors located in the oral cavity (n = 1) oropharynx (n = 24), hypopharynx (n = 7), and larynx (n = 29) were evaluated. Seven patients underwent unilateral (3 N0 patients, 4 N+ patients) and 54 underwent bilateral (31 N0 patients, 23 N+ patients) irradiation of the neck. In 11 N+ patients, 3D-CRT of the neck was followed by unilateral neck dissection. The dose to the primary and nonresected N+ necks was 70 Gy and to the N0 neck was 46 Gy. Neck levels were analyzed for adequacy of contouring, dose distribution, and patterns of relapse. The mean dose and the percentage of the volume receiving a minimum of 95% (V95) or >107% (V107) of the prescribed dose was computed. RESULTS In 4 patients treated with bilateral 3D-CRT, contouring was not in concordance with the guidelines of the protocol. The V95 and V107 in the 81 adequately contoured N0 necks (63 irradiated N0 necks from 33 N0 patients, 18 irradiated N0 necks from 24 N+ patients) was 95.6% and 6.3%, respectively. For the 26 N+ necks (15 N+ necks from 13 N+ RT-only patients, 11 N+ necks from 11 preoperatively irradiated patients), the V95 and V107 was 94.6% and 6.7%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 29 months, in 4 (8.6%) of 46 patients treated by 3D-CRT only, regional relapse was found. An actuarial regional and locoregional relapse-free survival and disease-free survival rate at 3 years of 90%, 78%, and 68%, respectively, was observed. All regional relapses were observed in the N0 necks of patients with supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma. Taking the surgical 2002 AAO-HNS classification as a reference, adjustments are proposed for the Rotterdam and Brussels delineation protocols to arrive at a unified CT-based neck nodal classification. CONCLUSION Adequate dose coverage for the Rotterdam CT-based contours of the neck nodal levels was found. In the RT-only patients, only four failures were observed: one regional and three locoregional relapses. As a next step in optimizing the current Rotterdam and Brussels CT-based delineation protocols, adaptations are proposed to resolve the discrepancies compared with the 2002 AAO-HNS surgical classification.

High-dose, high-precision treatment options for boosting cancer of the nasopharynx

PURPOSE The aim of the study is to define the role and type of high-dose, high-precision radiation therapy for boosting early staged T1,2a, but in particular locally advanced, T2b-4, nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Ninety-one patients with primary stage I-IVB NPC, were treated between 1991 and 2000 with 60-70Gy external beam radiation therapy (ERT) followed by 11-18Gy endocavitary brachytherapy (ECBT) boost. In 1996, for stage III-IVB disease, cisplatinum (CDDP)-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CHT) was introduced per protocol. Patients were analyzed for local control and overall survival. For a subset of 18 patients, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at 46Gy was obtained. After matching with pre-treatment computed tomogram, patients (response) were graded into four categories; i.e. LD (T1,2a, with limited disease, i.e. disease confined to nasopharynx), LRD (T2b, with limited residual disease), ERD (T2b, with extensive residual disease), or patients initially diagnosed with T3,4 tumors. Dose distributions for ECBT (Plato-BPS v. 13.3, Nucletron) were compared to parallel-opposed three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (Cadplan, Varian Dosetek v. 3.1), intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) (Helios, Varian) and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) (X-plan, Radionics v. 2.02). RESULTS For stage T1,2N0,1 tumors, at 2 years local control of 96% and overall survival of 80% were observed. For the poorest subset of patients, well/moderate/poorly differentiated T3,4 tumors, local control and overall survival at 2 years with CHT were 67 and 67%, respectively, vs. local control of 20% and overall survival of 12% without CHT. For LD and LRD, conformal target coverage and optimal sparing can be obtained with brachytherapy. For T2b-ERD and T3,4 tumors, these planning goals are better achieved with SRT and/or IMRT. CONCLUSIONS The dosimetric findings, ease of application of the brachytherapy procedure, and the clinical results in early staged NPC, necessitates ERT combined with brachytherapy boost to be the therapy of preference for LD and LRD. For locally advanced T3,4 tumors, our current protocol indicates neoadjuvant chemotherapy in conjunction with high cumulative doses of radiotherapy (81Gy); IMRT and/or SRT to be the preferred technique for boosting the primary tumor.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy denoted as the "Christie scheme": an effective means of palliating patients with head and neck cancers not suitable for curative treatment.

Objectives. A prospective study of the efficacy and toxicity profile of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) without curative treatment options treated consistently with hypofractionated radiotherapy schedule. Patients and methods. Between 1995 and 2006, 158 patients with HNSCC, unsuitable for curative treatment, were treated with a hypofractionated scheme of radiotherapy consisting of 16 fractions of 3.125 Gy. Endpoints of the study were response rates, loco-regional control, disease-free survival, overall survival, acute and late toxicity, and quality of life (QoL). Results. Seventy four percent of patients were male, 31% had oropharyngeal cancer and 81% stage IV disease. With 45% complete response and 28% partial response an overall response rate of 73% was achieved, 6% had stable disease, and 21% progressed during or directly after completion of treatment. Median survival time was 17 months and 62 patients (40%) survived ≥1 year after RT. The actuarial rates of loco-regional control, disease-free survival and overall survival were 62%, 32% and 40% at 1-year, respectively and 32%, 14% and 17% at 3-years, respectively. Acute grade ≥3 skin and mucosal toxicities were observed in 45% and 65% of patients, respectively. Severe late toxicity was reported in 4.5% of patients. Of patients surviving ≥1 year after RT, retrospective chart review showed that 50% gained weight, pain improved in 77%, performance status in 47% and only 29% of them was still feeding-tube dependent. Conclusions. Our hypofractionated radiotherapy scheme is an effective, well-tolerated and safe palliative schedule in HNSCC who are unsuitable for curative treatment options. Using 3.125 Gy per fraction (Christie scheme), excellent palliation was achieved resulting in acceptable response rates, excellent symptom control, acceptable toxicity profile, and good QoL of patients surviving ≥1 year after completion of treatment.

Robotic Radiosurgery vs. Brachytherapy as a Boost to Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy for Tonsillar Fossa and Soft Palate Tumors: The Clinical and Economic Impact of an Emerging Technology

As a basis for making decisions regarding optimal treatment for patients with tonsillar fossa and soft palate tumors, we conducted a preliminary investigation of costs and quality of life (QoL) for two modalities [brachytherapy (BT) and robotic radiosurgery] used to boost radiation to the primary tumors following external beam radiotherapy. BT was well established in our center; a boost by robotic radiosurgery was begun more recently in patients for whom BT was not technically feasible. Robotic radiosurgery boost treatment has the advantage of being non-invasive and is able to reach tumors in cases where there is deep parapharyngeal tumor extension. A neck dissection was performed for patients with nodal-positive disease. Quality of life (pain and difficulty swallowing) was established in long-term follow-up for patients undergoing BT and over a one-year follow-up in robotic radiosurgery patients. Total hospital costs for both groups were computed. Our results show that efficacy and quality of life at one year are comparable for BT and robotic radiosurgery. Total cost for robotic radiosurgery was found to be less than BT primarily due to the elimination of hospital admission and operating room expenses. Confirmation of robotic radiosurgery treatment efficacy and reduced morbidity in the long term requires further study. Quality of life and cost analyses are critical to Health Technology Assessments (HTA). The present study shows how a preliminary HTA of a new medical technology such as robotic radiosurgery with its typical hypofractionation characteristics might be based on short-term clinical outcomes and assumptions of equivalence.