title: High dose rate gynecological applications--radiobiological considerations based on the alpha-beta model.
abstract: We compare the relative efficacy of high dose rate (HDR) and low dose rate (LDR) irradiation in gynecological implants, using formulations based on the linear-quadratic (alpha-beta) model. We consider both acute reaction and late effect as endpoints in evaluating equivalence for HDR and LDR treatments, at Point A (as defined in the text) and at other locations. We define a therapeutic factor gamma as an index for relative efficacy, with gamma > 1 indicating a gain in substituting HDR for LDR. It is found that gamma < 1 for most clinical situations, although a modest decrease (of about 15%) in dose to critical organs for HDR would raise gamma above unity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sahoo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leibel
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage