Investigation of Change in Tumor Volume in Head and Neck Cancers

Abstract

25 patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer in the radiation oncology clinic of Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. Major anatomic changes due to weight loss and tumor shrinkage are observed during radiotherapy treatment in most of the patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer. The aim of the study is to examine the changes in the dose distribution of the changes in the patient anatomy due to the weight loss observed during the treatment process and to compare the adaptive radiotherapy technique with the non-adaptive radiotherapy technique. When the treatment plans of the patients were made using the adaptive plan technique, the ipsilateral parotid volume ranged from 15.00±8.57 cc to 10.10±5.85 cc (p=0.046), and the contralateral parotid volume ranged from 12.21±7.34 cc to 7.50±3.55 cc (p=0.002). ), Ptv 54 volume from 759.8±285.9 cc to 432.4±126 cc (p=0.035), Ptv 60 volume from 338.7±18.9 cc to 185.5±58.5 cc (p=0.003) and total body volume 6380± A statistically significant decrease was observed using T-test and Wilcoxan test, decreasing from 1600 cc to 5230±1570 cc (p=0.001). While ipsilateral parotid volume decreased at least 15% and maximum 46.3%, contralateral parotid volume decreased at least 16.6% and maximum 46.9%. The dose distribution results obtained from the dose volume histogram (DVH) using the adaptive radiotherapy technique are superior to the dose distribution results obtained without using the adaptive radiotherapy technique. Adaptive radiotherapy technique gives a more effective dose to the target volume and is more effective in protecting healthy tissues at the maximum rate.