Protons Offer Reduced Tissue Exposure for Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Purpose: Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy. Chemoradiation therapy (CRT) is used in many cases to improve local-regional control; however, toxicities associated with radiation can be significant given the location of the pancreas. The purpose of this study is to quantify the dosimetric changes seen when using photons or protons in patients receiving CRT for cancer of the pancreas.

    Patients and Methods: Ten patients with pancreatic head adenocarcinoma treated between 2010 and 2013 were evaluated in this study. All patients underwent simulation with contrast-enhanced computed tomography imaging. Separate treatment plans using proton radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, and 3-dimensional photon radiation therapy modalities were created for each patient. Dose-volume histograms were calculated and analyzed to compare plans between the 3 modalities. The organs at risk evaluated in this study are the kidneys, liver, small bowel, and spinal cord. To determine statistical significance, analysis of variance and 2-tailed paired t tests were performed for all data parameters.

    Results: The proton radiation therapy plans resulted in significantly lower doses delivered to the kidneys, liver, small bowel, and spinal cord. This finding was seen consistently across the parameters analyzed in this study.

    Conclusion: For patients receiving CRT, the proton plans are technically feasible and dosimetrically appealing with superior organs at risk sparing. Proton radiation therapy may improve the therapeutic ratio for patients receiving CRT for pancreatic cancer
    Original languageAmerican English
    Pages (from-to)702-710
    Number of pages9
    JournalInternational Journal of Particle Therapy
    Volume1
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Dec 2014

    Keywords

    • pancreatic cancer
    • proton radiation therapy

    Disciplines

    • Radiology
    • Medicine and Health Sciences

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