The effect of radiation therapy on normal tissue function.
As more patients are treated for their primary malignancy with cure or increased disease-free intervals, injury to normal tissues will become more detectable and an important endpoint for study. Future protocols will probably be modified based on toxicity endpoints. In Hodgkin's disease, current protocols use response-based treatment strategies to limit therapy. The objective is to provide the same level of tumor control and follow normal tissue endpoints for outcome analysis. DVH analysis has improved the ability to analyze endpoint data for normal tissues. These image-guided platforms will provide the infrastructure needed to continue efforts in improving the delivery of radiation therapy.
Department of Radiation Oncology and the Cancer Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01625, USA. fitzgert@ummhc.org
T J
TJ
FitzGerald
Jesse
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Aronowitz
M
M
Giulia Cicchetti
Graeme
G
Fisher
Sidney
S
Kadish
Y C
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Charles
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Mayo
Shelagh
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McCauley
Joshua
J
Meyer
Richard
R
Pieters
Alexandra
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Sherman
D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards