Accumulation of the delivered dose based on cone-beam CT and deformable image registration for non-small cell lung cancer treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy

• Published in: BMC cancer Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 1112 - 11
• Main Authors: Wang, Bin, Wang, Da Quan, Lin, Mao Sheng, Lu, Shi Pei, Zhang, Jun, Chen, Li, Li, Qi Wen, Cheng, Zhang Kai, Liu, Fang Jie, Guo, Jin Yu, Liu, Hui, Qiu, Bo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 16.11.2020; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Accumulation; Adult; Aged; Atelectasis; Cancer therapies; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - radiotherapy; Care and treatment; CAT scans; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography - methods; Deformable image registration; Diagnosis; Dose-response relationship; Dosimetry; Esophagus; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hypofractionated radiotherapy; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Male; Methods; Middle Aged; Non-small cell lung cancer; Non-small cell lung carcinoma; Organs at Risk - radiation effects; Patient outcomes; Patients; Pneumonitis; Prognosis; Radiation therapy; Radiotherapy; Radiotherapy Dosage; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted - methods; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated - methods; Registration; Small cell lung carcinoma; Tumor Burden; China; Hypofractionated radiotherapy; Deformable image registration; Accumulation; Non-small cell lung cancer
• ISSN: 1471-2407; 1471-2407
• DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07617-3

This study aimed to quantify the dosimetric differences between the planned and delivered dose to tumor and normal organs in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LANSCLC) treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT), and to explore the necessity and identify optimal candidates for adaptive radiotherapy (ART). Twenty-seven patients with stage III NSCLC were enrolled. Planned radiation dose was 51Gy in 17 fractions with cone-beam CT (CBCT) acquired at each fraction. Virtual CT was generated by deformable image registration (DIR) of the planning CT to CBCT for dose calculation and accumulation. Dosimetric parameters were compared between original and accumulated plans using Wilcoxon signed rank test. Correlations between dosimetric differences and clinical variables were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test or Chi-square test. Patients had varied gross tumor volume (GTV) reduction by HRT (median reduction rate 11.1%, range - 2.9-44.0%). The V of planning target volume for GTV (PTV-GTV) was similar between original and accumulated plans (mean, 88.2% vs. 87.6%, p = 0.452). Only 11.1% of patients had above 5% relative decrease in V of PTV-GTV in accumulated plans. Compared to the original plan, limited increase (median relative increase < 5%) was observed in doses of total lung (mean dose, V and V ), esophagus (mean dose, maximum dose) and heart (mean dose, V and V ) in accumulated plans. Less than 30% of patients had above 5% relative increase of lung or heart doses. Patients with quick tumor regression or baseline obstructive pneumonitis showed more notable increase in doses to normal structures. Patients with baseline obstructive atelectasis showed notable decrease (10.3%) in dose coverage of PTV-GTV. LANSCLC patients treated with HRT had sufficient tumor dose coverage and acceptable normal tissue dose deviation. ART should be applied in patients with quick tumor regression and baseline obstructive pneumonitis/atelectasis to spare more normal structures.