Helical tomotherapy provides efficacy similar to that of intensity-modulated radiation therapy with dosimetric benefits for endometrial carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and helical tomotherapy for endometrial cancer.


METHODS
Between November 1, 2006 and November 31, 2010, 31 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial cancer were enrolled. All enrolled patients received total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with adjuvant whole pelvic IMRT or helical tomotherapy.


RESULTS
The actuarial 3-year overall survival, disease-free survival, locoregional control, and distant metastasis-free rates for the IMRT and helical tomotherapy groups were 87.5% versus 100%, 91.7% versus 51.7%, 91.7% versus 83.3%, and 91.7% versus 51.7%, respectively. The conformal index and uniformity index for IMRT versus helical tomotherapy was 1.25 versus 1.17 (P = 0.04) and 1.08 versus 1.05 (P < 0.01), respectively. Two of 31 patients with cervical stump failure were noted, one in the IMRT group and the other in the helical tomotherapy group. No acute or late grade 3 or 4 toxicities were noted, including proctitis, or genitourinary or gastrointestinal disturbances.


CONCLUSIONS
Helical tomotherapy is as effective as IMRT and has better uniformity and conformal indices, and critical organ-sparing properties. Prospective clinical trials are needed to evaluate the comparative efficacy of IMRT versus helical tomotherapy.
Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City ; Department of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University ; Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University ; Oriental Institute of Technology, New Taipei City.
Chen-Hsi
CH
Hsieh
Pei-Wei
PW
Shueng
Sheng-Mou
SM
Hsiao
Ming-Chow
MC
Wei
Wen-Yih
WY
Wu
Hsu-Dong
HD
Sun
Hui-Ju
HJ
Tien
Li-Ying
LY
Wang
Yen-Ping
YP
Hsieh