Evaluating the impact of anatomical changes on dose distributions in head and neck cancer

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Thanks to modern IGRT procedures, it is possible to track changes in the patient's anatomy and thus calculate the dose distribution for the current anatomical conditions of the patient. This allows the scheduled dose to be compared with the delivered dose. In the case of large discrepancies, it is possible to improve the treatment plan. Radiotherapy, during which the treatment plan is modified, resulting from changes in anatomy, is referred to as adaptive radiotherapy. Material and methods: This study was performed for 30 patients with H&N cancer at the University Hospital in Zielona Góra. All patients were treated with VMAT. The Simultaneous Integrated Technique was used. In each treatment session, set-up verification was performed. Alternating every other day, the CBCT and two orthogonal portal images were made, and position correction prior to each session was performed. For all patients, new planning CT was made after the 11th and 22nd treatment sessions. Dose distributions with the initial plan on CT11 and CT22 were calculated. The initial dose-volume histograms DVH0 were compared with dose-volume histograms DVH11 and DVH22 calculated on CT11 and CT22. Results: We compared the dose distribution in the CTVs and in the most important organs at risk obtained for initial anatomy and dose distributions calculated with the initial plan on the CTs performed after the second and the fourth week of irradiation. The differences between mean doses and V95% to GTV obtained for the initial CT and two other CTs were small. For a few CTs, the values of V95% were smaller by more than 5% points. In most patients, the mean dose in salivary glands increased during treatment. Conclusions: Anatomical changes occurring during radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancers have little influence on the dose deposited in the Clinical Target Volume. Adaptive therapy may be of particular importance if relapse occurs and re-irradiation.