Phenomenologic model describing flow reduction for parotid gland irradiation with intensity-modulated radiotherapy: Evidence of significant recovery effect
Open Access
- 1 September 2004
- journal article
- Published by Elsevier BV in International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics
- Vol. 60 (1), 178-185
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2004.02.041
Abstract
Objective To develop a model describing the relationship between the parotid gland radiation dose and salivary flow reduction. Salivary function was described by the "relative flow reduction" (RFR)—a continuous variable in contrast to the traditional binary response used in normal tissue complication probability estimations. Methods and materials Twenty-three patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who were treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (RT) were the subject of this study. Of these patients, 19 had sufficiently long follow-up to be eligible for analysis. All were treated with curative intent, most (14 of 19) in the postoperative setting. The planning objectives were to deliver a mean dose of 50, 60, or 70 Gy, respectively, to low-risk microscopic, high-risk microscopic, and gross disease areas, while maintaining a mean dose of ≤20 Gy to the spared portion of one or both parotid glands. The mean dose to all parotid glands (right and left) was 30.2 Gy. All submandibular glands received >50 Gy when not surgically removed. Whole-mouth saliva collections, including both stimulated and unstimulated saliva flow, were obtained before treatment and at regular intervals after RT. These measurements were converted to the RFR by comparing the posttreatment and pretreatment flow rates. Any follow-up flow rates greater than baseline were scored as 0 relative reduction. We used Lyman's model to relate the equivalent uniform dose to RFR at various points for each patient. The equivalent uniform dose was calculated using the linear quadratic model, with an assumed α/β ratio of 3 Gy for the parotid gland. Measurements were modeled 1–3 months after RT (early) and >6 months after RT (late), and using the best and worst measurements, regardless of when measured. Results Fitting the Lyman model to RFR data of unstimulated flow revealed a statistically significant dose–complication relationship. We observed a stepwise reduction in flow, with the threshold dose D50 at 2 Gy per fraction (D50) increasing from 12.4 Gy (early) to 43.9 Gy (late). For the worst and best flow measurements, the corresponding D50 (2 Gy/fr) was 13.0 Gy and 40.1 Gy, respectively. For most stimulated flow measurements, a weak relationship was found between the RFR and equivalent uniform dose. In those cases, the model did not yield a statistically significant description of the data. However, in the case of late measurements, the relationship was statistically significant and similar to that seen in the unstimulated cases, with a D50 (2 Gy/fr) of 47.5 Gy. Conclusion We observed a strong relationship between the generalized mean parotid gland dose and RFR. The threshold dose increased markedly between the early and late measurements, indicating a statistically significant recovery effect in this tissue. Compared with unstimulated flow, the RFR for stimulated flow was not described as well by the model, because the effect of the stimulant was not included in the model.Keywords
This publication has 13 references indexed in Scilit:
- Preservation of oral health–related quality of life and salivary flow rates after inverse-planned intensity- modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for head-and-neck cancerInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 2004
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy for oropharyngeal and oral cavity tumors: clinical use and experienceOral Oncology, 2002
- Treatment planning and delivery of intensity-modulated radiation therapy for primary nasopharynx cancerInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 2001
- A prospective study of salivary function sparing in patients with head-and-neck cancers receiving intensity-modulated or three-dimensional radiation therapy: initial resultsInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 2001
- Preserved salivary output and xerostomia-related quality of life in head and neck cancer patients receiving parotid-sparing radiotherapyOral Oncology, 2000
- Three-dimensional intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: the University of California–San Francisco experienceInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 2000
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy in head and neck cancers:The Mallinckrodt experienceInternational Journal of Cancer, 2000
- Dose, volume, and function relationships in parotid salivary glands following conformal and intensity-modulated irradiation of head and neck cancerInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 1999
- Clinically relevant optimization of 3-D conformal treatmentsMedical Physics, 1992
- Calculation of normal tissue complication probability and dose-volume histogram reduction schemes for tissues with a critical element architectureRadiotherapy and Oncology, 1991