Radiotherapy quality assurance in clinical trials
The goal of radiation therapy is to yield the greatest possible uncomplicated local and regional tumor control. Inasmuch as higher doses of irradiation and adequacy of treatment portals (volume irradiated) appear to correlate with greater probability of tumor control and major complications, there is a critical need to optimize treatment planning and quality assurance in radiation therapy. Along with this, techniques must be developed for reliable patient reposition and immobilization so that the optimized treatment plan can be translated into precise delivery of the irradiation. It is obvious that in clinical trials, the basic parameters of therapy need to be optimally observed, in order to make comparison of experimental arms more reliable. Stringent criteria must be incorporated into the protocol describing the requirements and techniques for planning and delivery of the radiation therapy. Furthermore, the dosimetry checks carried out by the Radiological Physics Center should be an integral part of this program. In some studies it is necessary to do an initial review of dosimetry factors and portal films. Since an increasing number of reports point out that the doses of irradiation delivered and the volume treated may affect therapeutic results, a completed case review should always be carried out. Costs of these programs in clinical trials should be justified since, for a small inveestment, the evaluability rate in a protocol can be incresed by 10%.
- Research Organization:
- Washinton Univ. School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
- OSTI ID:
- 6602050
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8306232-
- Journal Information:
- Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 10; ISSN IOBPD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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