| Intensity
modulated radiation therapy optimizes dose to tumor while minimizing
exposure of healthy tissue Intensity modulated radiation therapy is probably superior to conventional radiation therapies for the treatment of Hodgkin's disease, according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. The new technique is a type of external beam radiation treatment that makes the radiation field conform closely to the size, shape, and location of a tumor. A computer system ensures that the optimal dose of radiation is delivered to the tumor while the exposure to surrounding healthy tissue is minimized. Because of the excellent survival results with modern treatments, a major focus in developing new therapies for Hodgkin's disease has been minimization of long-term treatment-related complications. The objective of the researchers was to evaluate the dosimetry of conventional radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease and to assess the potential benefit of the new technique with respect to targeting tumor and sparing surrounding normal tissue. After comparing the dosimetry of actual and hypothetical treatments on three patients for whom three-dimensional treatment planning scans were available, researchers concluded that intensity modulated radiation therapy would allow them to increase the dose of radiation to the tumor and improve the ability to spare healthy areas from high-dose radiation. "Since most patients with Hodgkin's disease
can now be cured, it is especially important to reduce both short-
and long-term complications that may significantly impact their
health and quality of life," said Billy W. Loo, Jr., M.D.,
Ph.D., lead author of the study. "Technologies such as intensity
modulated radiation therapy may help accomplish this while maintaining
high efficacy, and are promising for evaluation in future clinical
trials." |