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Title: Combined photon-electron beams in the treatment of the supraclavicular lymph nodes in breast cancer: A novel technique that achieves adequate coverage while reducing lung dose

Abstract

Radiation pneumonitis is a well-documented side effect of radiation therapy for breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to compare combined photon-electron, photon-only, and electron-only plans in the radiation treatment of the supraclavicular lymph nodes. In total, 13 patients requiring chest wall and supraclavicular nodal irradiation were planned retrospectively using combined photon-electron, photon-only, and electron-only supraclavicular beams. A dose of 50 Gy over 25 fractions was prescribed. Chest wall irradiation parameters were fixed for all plans. The goal of this planning effort was to cover 95% of the supraclavicular clinical target volume (CTV) with 95% of the prescribed dose and to minimize the volume receiving ≥ 105% of the dose. Comparative end points were supraclavicular CTV coverage (volume covered by the 95% isodose line), hotspot volume, maximum radiation dose, contralateral breast dose, mean total lung dose, total lung volume percentage receiving at least 20 Gy (V{sub 20} {sub Gy}), heart volume percentage receiving at least 25 Gy (V{sub 25} {sub Gy}). Electron and photon energies ranged from 8 to 18 MeV and 4 to 6 MV, respectively. The ratio of photon-to-electron fractions in combined beams ranged from 5:20 to 15:10. Supraclavicular nodal coverage was highest in photon-only (mean =more » 96.2 ± 3.5%) followed closely by combined photon-electron (mean = 94.2 ± 2.5%) and lowest in electron-only plans (mean = 81.7 ± 14.8%, p < 0.001). The volume of tissue receiving ≥ 105% of the prescription dose was higher in the electron-only (mean = 69.7 ± 56.1 cm{sup 3}) as opposed to combined photon-electron (mean = 50.8 ± 40.9 cm{sup 3}) and photon-only beams (mean = 32.2 ± 28.1 cm{sup 3}, p = 0.114). Heart V{sub 25} {sub Gy} was not statistically different among the plans (p = 0.999). Total lung V{sub 20} {sub Gy} was lowest in electron-only (mean = 10.9 ± 2.3%) followed by combined photon-electron (mean = 13.8 ± 2.3%) and highest in photon-only plans (mean = 16.2 ± 3%, p < 0.001). As expected, photon-only plans demonstrated the highest target coverage and total lung V{sub 20} {sub Gy}. The superiority of electron-only beams, in terms of decreasing lung dose, is set back by the dosimetric hotspots associated with such plans. Combined photon-electron treatment is a feasible technique for supraclavicular nodal irradiation and results in adequate target coverage, acceptable dosimetric hotspot volume, and slightly reduced lung dose.« less

Authors:
 [1]; ;  [1];  [2];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [2]; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman (Jordan)
  2. Section of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman (Jordan)
  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hashemite University, Zarqa (Jordan)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22462441
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Medical Dosimetry
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 40; Journal Issue: 3; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2015 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0958-3947
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY; ANIMAL TISSUES; CHEST; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; ELECTRON BEAMS; HEART; IRRADIATION; LUNGS; LYMPH NODES; MAMMARY GLANDS; NEOPLASMS; PATIENTS; PLANNING; PNEUMONITIS; RADIATION DOSES; RADIOTHERAPY

Citation Formats

Salem, Ahmed, Mohamad, Issa, Dayyat, Abdulmajeed, Kanaa’n, Haitham, Sarhan, Nasim, Roujob, Ibrahim, Salem, Abdel-Fattah, Afifi, Shatha, Jaradat, Imad, Mubiden, Rasmi, and Almousa, Abdelateif. Combined photon-electron beams in the treatment of the supraclavicular lymph nodes in breast cancer: A novel technique that achieves adequate coverage while reducing lung dose. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1016/J.MEDDOS.2014.12.001.
Salem, Ahmed, Mohamad, Issa, Dayyat, Abdulmajeed, Kanaa’n, Haitham, Sarhan, Nasim, Roujob, Ibrahim, Salem, Abdel-Fattah, Afifi, Shatha, Jaradat, Imad, Mubiden, Rasmi, & Almousa, Abdelateif. Combined photon-electron beams in the treatment of the supraclavicular lymph nodes in breast cancer: A novel technique that achieves adequate coverage while reducing lung dose. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MEDDOS.2014.12.001
Salem, Ahmed, Mohamad, Issa, Dayyat, Abdulmajeed, Kanaa’n, Haitham, Sarhan, Nasim, Roujob, Ibrahim, Salem, Abdel-Fattah, Afifi, Shatha, Jaradat, Imad, Mubiden, Rasmi, and Almousa, Abdelateif. 2015. "Combined photon-electron beams in the treatment of the supraclavicular lymph nodes in breast cancer: A novel technique that achieves adequate coverage while reducing lung dose". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MEDDOS.2014.12.001.
@article{osti_22462441,
title = {Combined photon-electron beams in the treatment of the supraclavicular lymph nodes in breast cancer: A novel technique that achieves adequate coverage while reducing lung dose},
author = {Salem, Ahmed and Mohamad, Issa and Dayyat, Abdulmajeed and Kanaa’n, Haitham and Sarhan, Nasim and Roujob, Ibrahim and Salem, Abdel-Fattah and Afifi, Shatha and Jaradat, Imad and Mubiden, Rasmi and Almousa, Abdelateif},
abstractNote = {Radiation pneumonitis is a well-documented side effect of radiation therapy for breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to compare combined photon-electron, photon-only, and electron-only plans in the radiation treatment of the supraclavicular lymph nodes. In total, 13 patients requiring chest wall and supraclavicular nodal irradiation were planned retrospectively using combined photon-electron, photon-only, and electron-only supraclavicular beams. A dose of 50 Gy over 25 fractions was prescribed. Chest wall irradiation parameters were fixed for all plans. The goal of this planning effort was to cover 95% of the supraclavicular clinical target volume (CTV) with 95% of the prescribed dose and to minimize the volume receiving ≥ 105% of the dose. Comparative end points were supraclavicular CTV coverage (volume covered by the 95% isodose line), hotspot volume, maximum radiation dose, contralateral breast dose, mean total lung dose, total lung volume percentage receiving at least 20 Gy (V{sub 20} {sub Gy}), heart volume percentage receiving at least 25 Gy (V{sub 25} {sub Gy}). Electron and photon energies ranged from 8 to 18 MeV and 4 to 6 MV, respectively. The ratio of photon-to-electron fractions in combined beams ranged from 5:20 to 15:10. Supraclavicular nodal coverage was highest in photon-only (mean = 96.2 ± 3.5%) followed closely by combined photon-electron (mean = 94.2 ± 2.5%) and lowest in electron-only plans (mean = 81.7 ± 14.8%, p < 0.001). The volume of tissue receiving ≥ 105% of the prescription dose was higher in the electron-only (mean = 69.7 ± 56.1 cm{sup 3}) as opposed to combined photon-electron (mean = 50.8 ± 40.9 cm{sup 3}) and photon-only beams (mean = 32.2 ± 28.1 cm{sup 3}, p = 0.114). Heart V{sub 25} {sub Gy} was not statistically different among the plans (p = 0.999). Total lung V{sub 20} {sub Gy} was lowest in electron-only (mean = 10.9 ± 2.3%) followed by combined photon-electron (mean = 13.8 ± 2.3%) and highest in photon-only plans (mean = 16.2 ± 3%, p < 0.001). As expected, photon-only plans demonstrated the highest target coverage and total lung V{sub 20} {sub Gy}. The superiority of electron-only beams, in terms of decreasing lung dose, is set back by the dosimetric hotspots associated with such plans. Combined photon-electron treatment is a feasible technique for supraclavicular nodal irradiation and results in adequate target coverage, acceptable dosimetric hotspot volume, and slightly reduced lung dose.},
doi = {10.1016/J.MEDDOS.2014.12.001},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22462441}, journal = {Medical Dosimetry},
issn = {0958-3947},
number = 3,
volume = 40,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}