title: Endoluminal and Interstitial Brachytherapy for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Malignancies: a Systematic Review.
abstract: Radiation therapy is an integral component in the multimodality management of many gastrointestinal (GI) cancers at all stages of clinical presentation. With recent advances in technology and radiation delivery, external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) can be delivered with reduced toxicity. However, despite these advances, EBRT doses are still limited by the presence of radiosensitive serial structures near clinical targets in the GI tract. Relative to EBRT techniques, brachytherapy techniques have a lower integral dose and more rapid fall-off, allowing for high-dose delivery with little normal tissue exposure. Given the unique characteristics of brachytherapy, it is an attractive strategy to treat GI malignancies. This review addresses the application of both high-dose rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) and low-dose rate brachytherapy (LDRBT) to multiple GI malignancies for both definitive and palliative management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sujana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gottumukkala
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Vasu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tumati
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hrycushko
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. MichaelR.Folkert@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Folkert
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage
keywords: Biliary brachytherapy; Brachytherapy; Endoesophageal brachytherapy; Endoluminal brachytherapy; Endorectal brachytherapy; Gastrointestinal malignancy; High-dose rate brachytherapy; Interstitial brachytherapy; Low-dose rate brachytherapy; Palliative care