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Focal Boost in Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy: A Review of Planning Studies and Clinical Trials
Yutong Zhao1, Annette Haworth2, Pejman Rowshanfarzad1,3
1School of Physics, Mathematics and Computing, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
Cancers
|October 14, 2023
Summary
Focal boost radiotherapy offers improved tumor control for prostate cancer by escalating doses to specific areas. This technique shows potential as a new standard of care without significantly increasing toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Radiation Oncology
- Medical Physics
- Oncology
Background:
- Focal boost radiotherapy delivers escalated doses to sub-volumes within a target.
- Hypothesized to improve prostate cancer treatment outcomes while minimizing toxicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the efficacy and variability of focal boost radiotherapy.
- Review planning studies and clinical trials published in the last decade.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of published focal boost radiotherapy reports.
- Focused on dose escalation to intra-prostatic lesions (IPLs).
- Correlated toxicity (GU/GI) with clinical factors.
Main Results:
- Consistent dose escalation to the gross tumor volume (GTV) and enhanced tumor control reported.
- No significant difference in toxicity compared to conventional radiotherapy.
- Acute genitourinary (GU) toxicity most prevalent; late gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity least prevalent.
Conclusions:
- Focal boost radiotherapy demonstrates potential for improved prostate cancer treatment.
- May represent a new standard of care in radiation oncology.
