THE TREATMENT PLANNING OF 3D-CONFORMAL TECHNIQUE WITH IRRADIATION OF PHOTON BEAMS FOR HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS
AITHU THI NGUYEN *
Vermilion Parish School Board, Abbeville, LA 70510, USA and Saigon University, Saigon City, South Vietnam, Vietnam.
BROOKE BROUSSARD
Abbeville High School, Abbeville, LA 70510, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Three- dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) technique was used with 3 irradiation fields of photon beam for head and neck cancer patients.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of treatment technique on the planning target volume (PTV) laryngeal cancer, dose of organ at risk (OAR) (parotid glands).
Methods: Used prowess Panther 5.1 software to do the treatment planning for head and neck cancer patients. 3D-CRT technique with 3 irradiation fields of photon beam was used to produce the maximum dose of target volume coverage and minimum dose to the parotid glands. A photon beam of 6 MV was used for all measurements.
Results: The 3 irradiation fields of photon beam plan showed the good coverage of the PTV and minimized the dose to the OARs. However, 3D - CRT still has some limitations. For cases of tumors with complex shapes or located near healthy organs in need of protection, the 3D - CRT is difficult to offer an optimal dose distribution.
Keywords: Head and neck cancer, 3D-conformal radiotherapy, treatment planning, radiation therapy