[en] Purpose: We report the results of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) used in the treatment of radiation cystitis and proctitis following irradiation of prostate cancer. Materials and methods: Between June 1995 and March 2000, 18 men (median age 71 years) with radiation proctitis (n=7), cystitis (n=8), and combined proctitis/cystitis (n=3) underwent HBO therapy in a multiplace chamber for a median of 26 sessions (range 2-60). The treatment schedule (2.2-2.4 atmospheres absolute, 60 min bottom time, once-a-day, 7 days a week) was set at a lower limit of 20 sessions; the upper limit was left open to symptom-related adjustment. Prior to HBO treatment, RTOG/EORTC late genitourinal (GU) morbidity was Grade 2 (n=3), Grade 3 (n=6) or Grade 4 (n=2); modified RTOG/EORTC late gastrointestinal (GI) morbidity was either Grade 2 (n=4) or Grade 3 (n=6). Results: Sixteen patients underwent an adequate number of sessions. RTOG/EORTC late GU as well as modified GI morbidity scores showed a significant improvement after HBO (GI, P=0.004; GU, P=0.004; exact Wilcoxon signed rank test); bleeding ceased in five out of five patients with proctitis and in six out of eight patients with cystitis; one of those two patients, in whom an ineffective treatment outcome was obtained, went on to have a cystectomy. Conclusions: HBO treatment seems to be an effective tool to treat those patients with late GI and GU morbidity when conventional treatment has led to unsatisfactory results. Particularly in patients with radiation cystitis, HBO should not be delayed too long, as in the case of extensive bladder shrinkage improvement is hard to achieve

[en] Ion-beam therapy provides a high dose conformity and increased radiobiological effectiveness with respect to conventional radiation-therapy. Strict constraints on the maximum uncertainty on the biological weighted dose and consequently on the biological weighting factor require the determination of the radiation quality, defined as the types and energy spectra of the radiation at a specific point. However the experimental determination of radiation quality, in particular for an internal target, is not simple and the features of ion interactions and treatment delivery require dedicated and optimized detectors. Recently chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond detectors have been suggested as ion-beam therapy microdosimeters. Diamond detectors can be manufactured with small cross sections and thin shapes, ideal to cope with the high fluence rate. However the sensitive volume of solid state detectors significantly deviates from conventional microdosimeters, with a diameter that can be up to 1000 times the height. This difference requires a redefinition of the concept of sensitive thickness and a deep study of the secondary to primary radiation, of the wall effects and of the impact of the orientation of the detector with respect to the radiation field. The present work intends to study through Monte Carlo simulations the impact of the detector geometry on the determination of radiation quality quantities, in particular on the relative contribution of primary and secondary radiation. The dependence of microdosimetric quantities such as the unrestricted linear energy L and the lineal energy y are investigated for different detector cross sections, by varying the particle type (carbon ions and protons) and its energy. (paper)

[en] Purpose: To give an overview of current available clinical data on reirradiation of glioma with respect to the tolerance dose of normal brain tissue. Methods and Materials: Clinical brain reirradiation studies from January 1996 to December 2006 were considered on radiation-induced late adverse effects-i.e., brain tissue necrosis. The studies were analyzed by using the linear quadratic model to derive information on the cumulative biologic effective tolerance dose and equivalent doses in 2-Gy fractions for the healthy human brain. Results: The cumulative dose in conventional reirradiation series (of 81.6-101.9 Gy) were generally lower than in fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) ( 90-133.9 Gy.) or LINAC-based stereotactic radiosurgery series (of 111.6-137.2 Gy). No correlation between the time interval between the initial and reirradiation course and the incidence of radionecrosis was noted. The analysis showed the prescribed to increase with decreasing treatment volume, which is allowed by modern conformal radiation techniques. Conclusion: Radiation-induced normal brain tissue necrosis is found to occur at >100 Gy. The applied reirradiation dose and increases with a change in irradiation technique from conventional to radiosurgery re-treatment, without increasing the probability of normal brain necrosis. Taken together, modern conformal treatment options, because of their limited volume of normal brain tissue exposure, allow brain reirradiation for palliative treatment of recurrent high grade glioma with an acceptable probability of radionecrosis

[en] Malignant gliomas relapse in close proximity to the resection site, which is the postoperatively irradiated volume. Studies on re-irradiation of glioma were examined regarding radiation-induced late adverse effects (i.e., brain tissue necrosis), to obtain information on the tolerance dose and treatment volume of normal human brain tissue. The studies were analyzed using the linear-quadratic model to express the re-irradiation tolerance in cumulative equivalent total doses when applied in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2_c_u_m_u_l_a_t_i_v_e). Analysis shows that the EQD2_c_u_m_u_l_a_t_i_v_e increases from conventional re-irradiation series to fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) to LINAC-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The mean time interval between primary radiotherapy and the re-irradiation course was shortened from 30 months for conventional re-irradiation to 17 and 10 months for FSRT and SRS, respectively. Following conventional re-irradiation, radiation-induced normal brain tissue necrosis occurred beyond an EQD2_c_u_m_u_l_a_t_i_v_e around 100 Gy. With increasing conformality of therapy, the smaller the treatment volume is, the higher the radiation dose that can be tolerated. Despite the dose escalation, no increase in late normal tissue toxicity was reported. On basis of our analysis, the use of particle therapy in the treatment of recurrent gliomas, because of the optimized physical dose distribution in the tumour and surrounding healthy brain tissue, should be considered for future clinical trials

[en] The European Network for Light Ion Hadron Therapy (ENLIGHT) was established in 2002 following various European particle therapy network initiatives during the 1980s and 1990s (e.g. EORTC task group, EULIMA/PIMMS accelerator design). ENLIGHT started its work on major topics related to hadron therapy (HT), such as patient selection, clinical trials, technology, radiobiology, imaging and health economics. It was initiated through CERN and ESTRO and dealt with various disciplines such as (medical) physics and engineering, radiation biology and radiation oncology. ENLIGHT was funded until 2005 through the EC FP5 programme. A regular annual meeting structure was started in 2002 and continues until today bringing together the various disciplines and projects and institutions in the field of HT at different European places for regular exchange of information on best practices and research and development. Starting in 2006 ENLIGHT coordination was continued through CERN in collaboration with ESTRO and other partners involved in HT. Major projects within the EC FP7 programme (2008–2014) were launched for R&D and transnational access (ULICE, ENVISION) and education and training networks (Marie Curie ITNs: PARTNER, ENTERVISION). These projects were instrumental for the strengthening of the field of hadron therapy.

sp0010^>With the start of 4 European carbon ion and proton centres and the upcoming numerous European proton therapy centres, the future scope of ENLIGHT will focus on strengthening current and developing European particle therapy research, multidisciplinary education and training and general R&D in technology and biology with annual meetings and a continuously strong CERN support. Collaboration with the European Particle Therapy Network (EPTN) and other similar networks will be pursued.

No abstract available

[en] Purpose: To compare photons, protons and carbon ions and their combinations for treatment of atypical and anaplastical skull base meningioma. Material and methods: Two planning target volumes (PTV_i_n_i_t_i_a_l/PTV_b_o_o_s_t) were delineated for 10 patients (prescribed doses 50 Gy(RBE) and 10 Gy(RBE)). Plans for intensity modulated photon (IMXT), proton (IMPT) and carbon ion therapy ("1"2C) were generated assuming a non-gantry scenario for particles. The following combinations were compared: IMXT + IMXT/IMPT/"1"2C; IMPT + IMPT/"1"2C; and "1"2C + "1"2C. Plan quality was evaluated by target conformity and homogeneity (CI, HI), V_9_5_%, D_2_% and D_5_0_% and dose-volume-histogram (DVH) parameters for organs-at-risk (OAR). If dose escalation was possible, it was performed until OAR tolerance levels were reached. Results: CI was worst for IMXT. HI < 0.05 ± 0.01 for "1"2C was significantly better than for IMXT. For all treatment options dose escalation above 60 Gy(RBE) was possible for four patients, but impossible for six patients. Compared to IMXT + IMXT, ion beam therapy showed an improved sparing for most OARs, e.g. using protons and carbon ions D_5_0_% was reduced by more than 50% for the ipsilateral eye and the brainstem. Conclusion: Highly conformal IMPT and "1"2C plans could be generated with a non-gantry scenario. Improved OAR sparing favors both sole "1"2C and/or IMPT plans