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Radiation Oncology

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Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research

Dose distribution in the thyroid gland following radiation therapy of breast cancer-a retrospective study

Authors: S Johansen, KV Reinertsen, K Knutstad, DR Olsen, SD Fosså

Published in: Radiation Oncology | Issue 1/2011

Abstract

Purpose

To relate the development of post-treatment hypothyroidism with the dose distribution within the thyroid gland in breast cancer (BC) patients treated with loco-regional radiotherapy (RT).

Methods and materials

In two groups of BC patients postoperatively irradiated by computer tomography (CT)-based RT, the individual dose distributions in the thyroid gland were compared with each other; Cases developed post-treatment hypothyroidism after multimodal treatment including 4-field RT technique. Matched patients in Controls remained free for hypothyroidism. Based on each patient's dose volume histogram (DVH) the volume percentages of the thyroid absorbing respectively 20, 30, 40 and 50 Gy were then estimated (V20, V30, V40 and V50) together with the individual mean thyroid dose over the whole gland (MeanTotGy). The mean and median thyroid dose for the included patients was about 30 Gy, subsequently the total volume of the thyroid gland (VolTotGy) and the absolute volumes (cm³) receiving respectively < 30 Gy and ≥ 30 Gy were calculated (Vol < 30 and Vol ≥ 30) and analyzed.

Results

No statistically significant inter-group differences were found between V20, V30, V40 and V50Gy or the median of MeanTotGy. The median VolTotGy in Controls was 2.3 times above VolTotGy in Cases (ρ = 0.003), with large inter-individual variations in both groups. The volume of the thyroid gland receiving < 30 Gy in Controls was almost 2.5 times greater than the comparable figure in Cases.

Conclusions

We concluded that in patients with small thyroid glands after loco-radiotherapy of BC, the risk of post-treatment hypothyroidism depends on the volume of the thyroid gland.

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Title: Dose distribution in the thyroid gland following radiation therapy of breast cancer-a retrospective study
Authors: S Johansen
KV Reinertsen
K Knutstad
DR Olsen
SD Fosså
Publication date: 01-12-2011
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Radiation Oncology / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1748-717X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-717X-6-68

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Dose distribution in the thyroid gland following radiation therapy of breast cancer-a retrospective study

Abstract

Purpose

Methods and materials

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods and materials

Results

Conclusions

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