TCP and NTCP in preclinical and clinical research in Europe.
European research in radiation oncology has a long and successful tradition. The aim of this research is to increase the therapeutic window of radiotherapy by increasing the tumor control probability (TCP) and/or by decreasing the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). This paper summarizes the basic radiobiological concept underlying treatment optimization by TCP-NTCP data and discusses some of the limitations of currently used models. These are controversial in many aspects and cannot be recommended for clinical routine practice but should rather be considered as a research tool.
Baumann
Michael
M
Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology and OncoRay--Centre for Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology Dresden, Germany. Michael.Baumann@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
Petersen
Cordula
C
Krause
Mechthild
M
D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000639:trends*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted