MONDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for cancer is less damaging to surrounding tissues than conventional radiation therapy, according to four studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Los Angeles.
Three studies by researchers from the Montefiore Medical Center in New York City examined the impact on surrounding tissues when IMRT was used to treat cancers of the lung, esophagus, pancreas and head and neck. In each study, sophisticated planning and gating techniques were used to tailor dosage for specific conditions.
According to a hospital statement, in the lung and esophageal study, IMRT enabled radiation dosage to be reduced by between 20 percent and 30 percent. In the study of pancreatic cancer patients, radiation dosage to kidneys and bowel was reduced by 38 percent. In the study of head and neck cancers, injury to the salivary glands, mandible, nerves and oral cavity lining was "dramatically" reduced, the researchers report.
A fourth study examined the impact of IMRT treatments on the incidence of dermatitis in women with breast cancer. Researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia followed 405 women who were treated with conventional radiation therapy and 399 women who were primarily treated with IMRT between 2001 and 2006. The study found that fewer women in the IMRT group developed serious dermatitis, and those who did develop dermatitis had it for less time than women treated with conventional radiation therapy, regardless of breast size.
"This study confirms our current practice of recommending IMRT for all patients," study co-author Gary Freedman, M.D., noted in a statement.
Abstract - Garg
Abstract - Rossinow
Abstract - Ahn
Abstract - Freedman
