[Conformal radiotherapy in cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract].
The outcome of head and neck malignancies is closely related to the achievement of local tumor control. The occurrence of severe late complications is the consequence of the anatomic vicinity between dose-limiting normal tissues and the tumor, thus reducing the curative potential of radiotherapy. Conformal radiotherapy is presently actively investigated as a way to improve the dose distribution in head and neck malignancies (especially when originating from the nasopharynx or the sinuses) while protecting healthy organs. Such an approach requires a chain of sophisticated procedures, including efficient quality assurance programs, in order to achieve the proper degree of safety. The relatively limited clinical studies published to-date have already confirmed the advantage of conformal radiotherapy in terms of dose delivery. The development of beam intensity modulation is likely to further contribute to the improvement of the therapeutic ratio.
Pommier
P
P
Service de radiothérapie, Centre Léon-Bérard, Lyon, France.
Lapeyre
M
M
Ginestet
C
C
Buchheit
I
I
Sunyach
M P
MP
Chapet
O
O
Montbarbon
X
X
Marchal
C
C
Aletti
P
P
Carrie
C
C
Bey
P
P
D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011187:Posture; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors