Escalating a Biological Dose of Radiation in the Target Volume Applying Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Patients with Head and Neck Region Tumours
Paweł Polanowski,
Krzysztof Składowski,
Dorota Księżniak-Baran,
Aleksandra Grządziel,
Natalia Amrogowicz,
Jolanta Mrochem-Kwarciak,
Agnieszka Pietruszka,
Marek Kentnowski,
Katarzyna Polanowska
Affiliations
Paweł Polanowski
1st Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Krzysztof Składowski
1st Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Dorota Księżniak-Baran
1st Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Aleksandra Grządziel
Radiotherapy Planning Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Natalia Amrogowicz
1st Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Jolanta Mrochem-Kwarciak
Analytics and Clinical Biochemistry Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Agnieszka Pietruszka
1st Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Marek Kentnowski
1st Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Katarzyna Polanowska
Ophthalmology Department, St. Barbara Provincial Hospital No. 5, Plac Medyków 1, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Background: The treatment of head and neck tumours is a complicated process usually involving surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic treatment. Despite the multidisciplinary approach, treatment outcomes are still unsatisfactory, especially considering malignant tumours such as squamous cell carcinoma or sarcoma, where the frequency of recurrence has reached 50% of cases. The implementation of modern and precise methods of radiotherapy, such as a radiosurgery boost, may allow for the escalation of the biologically effective dose in the gross tumour volume and improve the results of treatment. Methods: The administration of a stereotactic radiotherapy boost can be done in two ways: an upfront boost followed by conventional radio(chemo)therapy or a direct boost after conventional radio(chemo)therapy. The boost dose depends on the primary or nodal tumour volume and localization regarding the organs at risk. It falls within the range of 10–18 Gy. Discussion: The collection of detailed data on the response of the disease to the radiosurgery boost combined with conventional radiotherapy as well as an assessment of early and late toxicities will contribute crucial information to the prospective modification of fractionated radiotherapy. In the case of beneficial findings, the stereotactic radiosurgery boost in the course of radio(chemo)therapy in patients with head and neck tumours will be able to replace traditional techniques of radiation, and radical schemes of treatment will be possible for future development.
