Potential of Adaptive Radiotherapy to Escalate the Radiation Dose in Combined Radiochemotherapy for Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg (Germany)
Purpose: To evaluate the potential of adaptive radiotherapy (ART) for advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in terms of lung sparing and dose escalation. Methods and Materials: In 13 patients with locally advanced NSCLC, weekly CT images were acquired during radio- (n = 1) or radiochemotherapy (n = 12) for simulation of ART. Three-dimensional (3D) conformal treatment plans were generated: conventionally fractionated doses of 66 Gy were prescribed to the planning target volume without elective lymph node irradiation (Plan{sub 3}D). Using a surface-based algorithm of deformable image registration, accumulated doses were calculated in the CT images acquired during the treatment course (Plan{sub 4}D). Field sizes were adapted to tumor shrinkage once in week 3 or 5 and twice in weeks 3 and 5. Results: A continuous tumor regression of 1.2% per day resulted in a residual gross tumor volume (GTV) of 49% {+-} 15% after six weeks of treatment. No systematic differences between Plan{sub 3}D and Plan{sub 4}D were observed regarding doses to the GTV, lung, and spinal cord. Plan adaptation to tumor shrinkage resulted in significantly decreased lung doses without compromising GTV coverage: single-plan adaptation in Week 3 or 5 and twice-plan adaptation in Weeks 3 and 5 reduced the mean lung dose by 5.0% {+-} 4.4%, 5.6% {+-} 2.9% and 7.9% {+-} 4.8%, respectively. This lung sparing with twice ART allowed an iso-mean lung dose escalation of the GTV dose from 66.8 Gy {+-} 0.8 Gy to 73.6 Gy {+-} 3.8 Gy. Conclusions: Adaptation of radiotherapy to continuous tumor shrinkage during the treatment course reduced doses to the lung, allowed significant dose escalation and has the potential of increased local control.
- OSTI ID:
- 21491634
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 79, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2010.04.050; PII: S0360-3016(10)00663-2; Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0360-3016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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