Intensity-modulated radiotherapy Journal Article
| Authors: | Leibel, S. A.; Fuks, Z.; Zelefsky, M. J.; Wolden, S. L.; Rosenzweig, K. E.; Alektiar, K. M.; Hunt, M. A.; Yorke, E. D.; Hong, L. X.; Amols, H. I.; Burman, C. M.; Jackson, A.; Mageras, G. S.; LoSasso, T.; Happersett, L.; Spirou, S. V.; Chui, C. S.; Ling, C. C. |
| Article Title: | Intensity-modulated radiotherapy |
| Abstract: | Intensity-modulated radiotherapy represents a recent advancement in conformal radiotherapy. It employs specialized computer-driven technology to generate dose distributions that conform to tumor targets with extremely high precision. Treatment planning is based on inverse planning algorithms and iterative computer-driven optimization to generate treatment fields with varying intensities across the beam section. Combinations of intensity-modulated fields produce custom-tailored conformal dose distributions around the tumor, with steep dose gradients at the transition to adjacent normal tissues. Thus far, data have demonstrated improved precision of tumor targeting in carcinomas of the prostate, head and neck, thyroid, breast, and lung, as well as in gynecologic, brain, and paraspinal tumors and soft tissue sarcomas. In prostate cancer, intensity-modulated radiotherapy has resulted in reduced rectal toxicity and has permitted tumor dose escalation to previously unattainable levels. This experience indicates that intensity-modulated radiotherapy represents a significant advancement in the ability to deliver the high radiation doses that appear to be required to improve the local cure of several types of tumors. The integration of new methods of biologically based imaging into treatment planning is being explored to identify tumor foci with phenotypic expressions of radiation resistance, which would likely require high-dose treatments. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy provides an approach for differential dose painting to selectively increase the dose to specific tumor-bearing regions. The implementation of biologic evaluation of tumor sensitivity, in addition to methods that improve target delineation and dose delivery, represents a new dimension in intensity-modulated radiotherapy research. Copyright © 2002 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. |
| Keywords: | cancer survival; survival rate; review; intensity modulated radiation therapy; cisplatin; treatment planning; radiation dose; brain tumor; methodology; neoplasm; neoplasms; ovarian cancer; accuracy; phenotype; lung non small cell cancer; carcinoma, non-small-cell lung; lung neoplasms; radiotherapy dosage; prostate cancer; prostatic neoplasms; lung tumor; algorithm; imrt; intensity-modulated radiotherapy; prostate tumor; breast carcinoma; spinal cord tumor; radiosensitivity; lung carcinoma; thyroid carcinoma; radiotherapy planning, computer-assisted; radiotherapy, conformal; computer assisted radiotherapy; nasopharynx cancer; nasopharynx tumor; nasopharyngeal neoplasms; radiation dose distribution; non-small cell lung cancer; head and neck carcinoma; female genital tract tumor; prostate carcinoma; rectum hemorrhage; abdominal neoplasms; abdominal radiotherapy; three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy; 3d-crt; dose-escalation; soft tissue cancer; abdominal tumor; cancer; humans; human; male; priority journal; article; inverse treatment planning; whole-abdominal irradiation |
| Journal Title: | The Cancer Journal |
| Volume: | 8 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| ISSN: | 1528-9117 |
| Publisher: | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |
| Date Published: | 2002-03-01 |
| Start Page: | 164 |
| End Page: | 176 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1097/00130404-200203000-00010 |
| PUBMED: | 12004802 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Export Date: 14 November 2014 -- Source: Scopus |
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