title: Novel high dose rate lip brachytherapy technique to improve dose homogeneity and reduce toxicity by customized mold.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to describe a novel brachytherapy technique for lip Squamous Cell Carcinoma, utilizing a customized mold with embedded brachytherapy sleeves, which separates the lip from the mandible, and improves dose homogeneity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven patients with T2 lip cancer treated with a "sandwich" technique of High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy to the lip, consisting of interstitial catheters and a customized mold with embedded catheters, were reviewed for dosimetry and outcome using 3D planning. Dosimetric comparison was made between the "sandwich" technique to "classic" - interstitial catheters only plan. We compared dose volume histograms for Clinical Tumor Volume (CTV), normal tissue "hot spots" and mandible dose. We are reporting according to the ICRU 58 and calculated the Conformal Index (COIN) to show the advantage of our technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The seven patients (ages 36-81 years, male) had median follow-up of 47 months. Four patients received Brachytherapy and External Beam Radiation Therapy, 3 patients received brachytherapy alone. All achieved local control, with excellent esthetic and functional results. All patients are disease free. The Customized Mold Sandwich technique (CMS) reduced the high dose region receiving 150% (V150) by an average of 20% (range 1-47%), The low dose region (les then 90% of the prescribed dose) improved by 73% in average by using the CMS technique. The COIN value for the CMS was in average 0.92 as opposed to 0.88 for the interstitial catheter only. All differences (excluding the low dose region) were statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CMS technique significantly reduces the high dose volume and increases treatment homogeneity. This may reduce the potential toxicity to the lip and adjacent mandible, and results in excellent tumor control, cosmetic and functionality.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Radiation Therapy Unit, Hadassah - Heberew University Medical Center, PO Box 12000, Jerusalem, (9112001), Israel. feldman@hadassah.org.il.|Department of Nuclear Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, (84105), Israel. feldman@hadassah.org.il.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Radiation Therapy Unit, Hadassah - Heberew University Medical Center, PO Box 12000, Jerusalem, (9112001), Israel. limora2@hadassah.org.il.
authors.forename: Limor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Appelbaum
authors.affiliation: Maxillofacial Rehabilitation department, Hadassah - Heberew University Medical Center, PO Box 12000, Jerusalem, (9112001), Israel. mor@hadassah.org.il.
authors.forename: Mordechay
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sela
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Radiation Therapy Unit, Hadassah - Heberew University Medical Center, PO Box 12000, Jerusalem, (9112001), Israel. NINEL@hadassah.org.il.
authors.forename: Ninel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Voskoboinik
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Radiation Therapy Unit, Hadassah - Heberew University Medical Center, PO Box 12000, Jerusalem, (9112001), Israel. KOBIC2@hadassah.org.il.
authors.forename: Sarit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadouri
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Hadassah - Heberew University Medical Center, (PO Box 12000), Jerusalem, (9112001), Israel. Jeff@hadassah.org.il.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weinberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, (84105), Israel. iorion@bgu.ac.il.
authors.forename: Itzhak
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Orion
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Radiation Therapy Unit, Hadassah - Heberew University Medical Center, PO Box 12000, Jerusalem, (9112001), Israel. amichaym@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Amichay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meirovitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011874:Radiometry; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies