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. 2015 May-Jun;20(3):198-203.
doi: 10.1016/j.rpor.2014.12.004. Epub 2015 Jan 7.

Dependence of the safe rectum dose on the CTV-PTV margin size and treatment technique

Pawel Kukołowicz  1 , Helena Kukołowicz  1 , Izabela Tyburska  1
Affiliations

Dependence of the safe rectum dose on the CTV-PTV margin size and treatment technique

Pawel Kukołowicz et al. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. 2015 May-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Late rectal injury is a common side effect of external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate what total dose may be safely delivered for prostate patients for 3DCRT and IMRT techniques and the CTV-PTV margin.

Materials and methods: 3DCRT and IMRT plans were prepared for 12 patients. For each patient PTV was defined with CTV-PTV margins of 0.4, 0.6, …, 1.0 cm, and total doses of 70, 72, …, 80 Gy, with 2 Gy dose fraction. NTCP values for the rectum were calculated using the Lyman model. Both techniques were compared in terms of population mean DVH.

Results: Significantly smaller NTCPs for IMRT were obtained. For both techniques diminishing the margin CTV-PTV of 2 mm leads to decreasing the NTCP of about 0.03. For total dose of 80 Gy the NTCP was smaller than 10% for the 4 mm margin only. The QUANTEC dose volume constraints were more frequently fulfilled for the IMRT technique than for the 3DCRT technique.

Conclusions: The IMRT technique is safer for prostate patients than the 3DCRT. If very high total doses are applied the CTV-PTV margin of 0.4 cm and the IMRT technique should be used. If the CTV-PTV margin of 0.6 cm is applied, the NTCP is smaller than 10% for the 3DCRT and IMRT techniques for the total doses smaller than 74 Gy and 78 Gy, respectively.

Keywords: 3DCRT and IMRT; CTV–PTV margin; Normal Tissue Complication Probability; Rectum injury.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
DVHs for IMRT and 3DCRT techniques averaged over all 12 patients.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Dependence of the NTCP on the total dose for 3DCRT technique, for different CTV–PTV margins.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Dependence of the NTCP on the total dose for IMRT technique, for different CTV–PTV margins.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Comparison of NTCP for 3DCRT and IMRT for two CTV–PTV margins, 4 and 8 mm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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