Proposed evaluation scale for damage to healthy tissues as a result of radiotherapy of chest, head and neck cancers.
The authors present, as a criterion of side-effect damage, an evaluation scheme based on the qualitative grading of the acute, intermediate and late effects of the therapeutic irradiation of chest, head and neck cancers. The choice of individual qualitative clinical criteria is complex and arbitrary, although the parameters used are currently found in the literature on radiotherapy. Nevertheless the classifications they have proposed, applied clinically in cases of head and neck cancers, have proved useful in assessing the risk factors of acute and late radiation effects according to the doses delivered. The gradings here described constitute a useful tool for the preliminary assessment of radiation damage and will facilitate the comparative analysis of different case series.
Stucchi
F
F
Department of Radiotherapy, Regional Hospital, Varese, Italy.
Bertoni
F
F
Bignardi
M
M
Ciottoli
G B
GB
Bardelli
D
D
D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006257:Head / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000503:physiopathology; D009333:Neck / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*