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Dosimetric evaluation of whole breast radiotherapy using field-in-field technique in early-stage breast cancer. Int J Clin Oncol 2011; 16:250-6. [DOI: 10.1007/s10147-010-0175-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2010] [Accepted: 12/12/2010] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Lohr F, Heggemann F, Papavassiliu T, El-Haddad M, Tomé O, Dinter D, Dobler B, Kraus-Tiefenbacher U, Borggrefe M, Wenz F. [Is cardiotoxicity still an issue after breast-conserving surgery and could it be reduced by multifield IMRT?]. Strahlenther Onkol 2009; 185:222-30. [PMID: 19370424 DOI: 10.1007/s00066-009-1892-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2008] [Accepted: 01/09/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postoperative radiotherapy after breast cancer surgery effectively reduces local relapses. A survival benefit after breast conservation, however, has only been proven recently which was in part due to excessive cardiac mortality of patients who had been treated with radiotherapy in the past. MATERIAL AND METHODS The literature on postoperative radiotherapy for breast cancer was reviewed with regard to cardiac toxicity as the basis for hypothesis generation. RESULTS From numerous publications on cardiac toxicity of breast cancer radiotherapy, the following pattern emerges: in series where a high radiation dose was applied to a significant percentage of the heart (postmastectomy and postlumpectomy series) cardiac toxicity/mortality was increased versus a nonexposed cohort or for left over right disease. If, however, a relevant exposure of cardiac muscle could be more or less excluded based on the technique used (mainly more recent postlumpectomy radiotherapy), no cardiac toxicity was observed. Series for which individual dose exposure varied or could not be clarified also came to varying conclusions. Also due to retrospectively unclear dose distributions, an exact quantification of tolerance doses/effects of different geographic dose distribution patterns could not be performed to date. A particularly difficult question to answer is the threshold volume for clinically relevant cardiotoxicity with tangential radiotherapy at prescription doses. As a consequence, this precludes an estimate in which situations multifield intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with its characteristic dose distribution pattern of a larger volume exposed to intermediate doses and higher mean/median heart doses (as shown in Figure 1) might be preferable. CONCLUSION This review updates the database on cardiac toxicity of breast cancer radiotherapy with special emphasis regarding the issues related to the clinical use of IMRT. Multifield IMRT may reduce the cardiac risk for a small subset of patients at excessive risk with conventional tangential radiotherapy due to unfavorable thoracic geometry, for whom partial-breast radiotherapy is not an option. Due to further concern about the effects of intermediate doses to larger heart volumes, potentially increased contralateral cancer risk and the long latency of clinically apparent toxicity, the introduction of breast IMRT should be closely followed. Accompanying functional studies may have the potential to detect cardiac toxicity at an earlier time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Lohr
- Klinik für Strahlentherapie und Radioonkologie, Universitätsklinikum Mannheim, Germany.
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Selvaraj RN, Beriwal S, Pourarian RJ, Lalonde RJ, Chen A, Mehta K, Brunner G, Wagner KA, Yue NJ, Huq SM, Heron DE. Clinical Implementation of Tangential Field Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Using Sliding Window Technique and Dosimetric Comparison with 3D Conformal Therapy (3DCRT) in Breast Cancer. Med Dosim 2007; 32:299-304. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meddos.2007.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2007] [Revised: 03/06/2007] [Accepted: 03/09/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Li JS, Freedman GM, Price R, Wang L, Anderson P, Chen L, Xiong W, Yang J, Pollack A, Ma CM. Clinical implementation of intensity-modulated tangential beam irradiation for breast cancer. Med Phys 2004; 31:1023-31. [PMID: 15191288 DOI: 10.1118/1.1690195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A Monte Carlo based intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning system has been developed and used for breast treatment. An iterative method was used for optimization to generate IMRT plans and a step-and-shoot technique was used for beam delivery. The patient setup and incident beam directions were the same as those for conventional tangential photon treatment. The weights for the opposed beamlets in the two tangential beams were determined first by the doses at the depths of the maximum dose at both sides to minimize hot spots. The intensity of an individual beamlet pair was then optimized based on the dose at the midplane. Fine tuning was made to achieve optimal target dose uniformity and to reduce the dose to the heart when necessary. The final dose calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo method and the plans were verified by phantom measurements. The dose distributions and dose-volume-histograms of IMRT plans were compared with those of conventional plans that were generated using a commercial treatment planning system and recalculated using an in-house Monte Carlo system for the first 25 patients. The dose comparisons showed that the percentage volume receiving more than 95% of the prescription dose (V95) and the percentage volume receiving more than 100% of the prescription dose (V100) for the clinical target volume (CTV) of IMRT plans were about the same as those of conventional plans. The percentage volume receiving more than 105% of the prescription dose (V105) for the CTV was reduced from 23.1% to 7.9% on average. The percentage volume of the lung receiving more than 20 Gy dose (V20 Gy) during the entire treatment was reduced by about 10%. The percentage volume of the heart receiving more than 30 Gy dose (V30 Gy) is reduced from 3.3% to 0.3%. Further studies revealed that a less than 5 degrees change in couch angle and collimator angle at patient setup had no significant effect on the dose coverage of CTV but had significant effect on the dose to the lung and heart. The study on the effect of beam spoiler showed that it increased the dose at the buildup region by 0- 13% that varies with location. The machine output linearity and stability for small monitor unit delivery of Siemens accelerators used for this study was checked and found to be suitable for breast IMRT. The total effect of variations was calculated to be less than 1% for typical breast treatments. The beam delivery time was increased by about 2 min compared with conventional tangential treatments. The whole treatment including patient setup and beam delivery can be completed in a 15 min slot. The IMRT technique has been proven practical for breast treatment clinically. The results showed that tangential IMRT improved the dose homogeneity in the breast and reduced the dose to the lung and heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111, USA.
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Donovan EM, Bleackley NJ, Evans PM, Reise SF, Yarnold JR. Dose-position and dose-volume histogram analysis of standard wedged and intensity modulated treatments in breast radiotherapy. Br J Radiol 2002; 75:967-73. [PMID: 12515705 DOI: 10.1259/bjr.75.900.750967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this work was to evaluate the positional distribution of dose in a concise manner and to analyse dose-histogram results in tangential breast radiotherapy in 300 patients, randomized to standard wedged or intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), for future correlation with clinical outcome data. A simple method for analysing the dose-position relationship in the treatment volume was used to compare the spatial distribution of dose in patients. The breast was divided into equal thirds (upper, middle and lower) and dose was assessed using three dose bands; 95-105%, >105-110% and >110% of the prescription dose. The effect of using IMRT on the dosimetry was assessed from dose-volume histogram data using the following parameters: percentage of the target volume receiving a dose less than 95%, greater than 105%, either less than 95% or greater than 105% of that prescribed; the mean dose; and the maximum dose. Doses greater than 105% were predominantly in the upper and lower regions of the breast in the standard wedged treatment. 96% of these patients received doses greater than 105% in the upper region of the breast and 70% received doses greater than 105% in the lower breast. Only 4% of patients allocated IMRT received doses greater than 105% in either region. Analysis of dose-volume histogram data showed that IMRT reduced the volume receiving a dose greater than 105% by a mean of 10.7% (p= or <0.001); the mean change in the volume receiving a dose less than 95% was 0.2% (p=0.63). Average mean plan dose was 101.6% for standard treatment and 99.6% for IMRT (p<0.001 for each compared with 100.0% ideal). The mean value of maximum dose was reduced from 111% to 106% in the group of patients randomized to IMRT. A simple method for describing the relationship between dose and position in the breast, which is helpful for the effective correlation of dosimetry and clinical effects, is reported. Further, application of IMRT to the tangential field irradiation of the breast has been demonstrated to reduce high dose regions in both volume and dose level without compromising either minimum dose coverage or mean dose delivered to the breast.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Donovan
- Joint Department of Physics, Royal Marsden NHS Trust and Institute of Cancer Research, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK
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Kestin LL, Sharpe MB, Frazier RC, Vicini FA, Yan D, Matter RC, Martinez AA, Wong JW. Intensity modulation to improve dose uniformity with tangential breast radiotherapy: initial clinical experience. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2000; 48:1559-68. [PMID: 11121662 DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(00)01396-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 254] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We present a new technique to improve dose uniformity and potentially reduce acute toxicity with tangential whole-breast radiotherapy (RT) using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The technique of multiple static multileaf collimator (sMLC) segments was used to facilitate IMRT. METHODS AND MATERIALS Ten patients with early-stage breast cancer underwent treatment planning for whole-breast RT using a new method of IMRT. The three-dimensional (3D) dose distribution was first calculated for equally weighted, open tangential fields (i.e., no blocks, no wedges). Dose calculation was corrected for density effects with the pencil-beam superposition algorithm. Separate MLC segments were constructed to conform to the beam's-eye-view projections of the 3D isodose surfaces in 5% increments, ranging from the 120% to 100% isodose surface. Medial and lateral MLC segments that conformed to the lung tissue in the fields were added to reduce transmission. Using the beam-weight optimization utility of the 3D treatment planning system, the sMLC segment weights were then determined to deliver the most uniform dose to 100 reference points that were uniformly distributed throughout the breast. The accuracy of the dose calculation and resultant IMRT delivery was verified with film dosimetry performed on an anthropomorphic phantom. For each patient, the dosimetric uniformity within the breast tissue was evaluated for IMRT and two other treatment techniques. The first technique modeled conventional practice where wedges were derived manually without consideration of inhomogeneity effects (or density correction). A recalculation was performed with density correction to represent the actual dose delivered. In the second technique, the wedges were optimized using the same beam-weight optimization utility as the IMRT plan and included density correction. All dose calculations were based on the pencil-beam superposition algorithm. RESULTS For the sMLC technique, treatment planning required approximately 60 min. Treatment delivery (including patient setup) required approximately 8-10 min. Film dosimetry measurements performed on an anthropomorphic phantom generally agreed with calculations to within +/- 3%. Compared to the wedge techniques, IMRT with sMLC segments resulted in smaller "hot spots" and a lower maximum dose, while maintaining similar coverage of the treatment volume. A median of only 0.1% of the treatment volume received > or = 110% of the prescribed dose when using IMRT versus 10% with standard wedges. A total of 6-8 segments were required with the majority of the dose delivered via the open segments. The addition of the lung-block segments to IMRT was of significant benefit for patients with a greater proportion of lung parenchyma within the irradiated volume. Since August 1999, 32 patients have been treated in the clinic with the IMRT technique. No patient experienced RTOG grade III or greater acute skin toxicity. CONCLUSION The use of intensity modulation with an sMLC technique for tangential breast RT is an efficient and effective method for achieving uniform dose throughout the breast. It is dosimetrically superior to the treatment techniques that employ only wedges. Preliminary findings reveal minimal or no acute skin reactions for patients with various breast sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- L L Kestin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI 48073, USA.
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Donovan EM, Johnson U, Shentall G, Evans PM, Neal AJ, Yarnold JR. Evaluation of compensation in breast radiotherapy: a planning study using multiple static fields. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2000; 46:671-9. [PMID: 10701747 DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(99)00388-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE A method that uses electronic portal imaging to design intensity-modulated beams for compensation in breast radiotherapy was implemented using multiple static fields in a planning study. We present the results of the study to verify the algorithm, and to assess improvements to the dosimetry. METHODS AND MATERIALS Fourteen patients were imaged with computed tomography (CT) and on a treatment unit using an electronic portal imager. The portal imaging data were used to design intensity-modulated beams to give an ideal dose distribution in the breast. These beams were implemented as multiple static fields added to standard wedged tangential fields. Planning of these treatments was performed on a commercial treatment planning system (Target 2, IGE Medical Systems, Slough, U.K.) using the CT data for each patient. Dose-volume histogram (DVH) analysis of the plans with and without multileaf collimator (MLC) compensation was carried out. This work has been used as the basis for a randomized clinical trial investigating whether improvements in dosimetry are correlated with the reduction of long-term side effects from breast radiotherapy. RESULTS The planning analysis showed a mean increase in target volume receiving 95-105% of prescribed dose of 7.5% (range -0.8% to 15.9%) when additional MLC compensation was applied. There was no change to the minimum dose for all 14 patient data sets. The change in the volume of breast tissue receiving over 105% of prescribed dose, when applying MLC compensation, was between -1.4% and 11.9%, with positive numbers indicating an improvement. These effects showed a correlation with breast size; the larger the breast the greater the amount of improvement. CONCLUSIONS The method for designing compensation for breast treatments using an electronic portal imager has been verified using planning on CT data for 14 patients. An improvement was seen in planning when applying MLC compensation and this effect was greater the larger the breast size.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Donovan
- Joint Department of Physics, Royal Marsden NHS Trust and Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK.
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Vincent D, Beckham W, Delaney G. An assessment of the number of CT slices necessary to plan breast radiotherapy. Radiother Oncol 1999; 52:179-83. [PMID: 10577704 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8140(99)00072-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this study was to evaluate the number of CT slices required to produce satisfactory dose distribution for tangential field irradiation of the chest wall and breast and to assess correlation of this with the volume of breast tissue treated. Forty-six patients underwent a CT scan of the thorax. An optimized plan was produced by assessing dose distribution on the central axis (CAX) slice only. This plan was then recalculated using the entire CT data set without any changes to the beam parameters. A separate optimized plan was generated using the CAX slice and two slices indicative of the upper and lower level of the field. This three-slice plan was then calculated using the entire CT data set. Finally an optimized 3D plan was generated using the entire CT data set. The different planning methods were compared using dose-volume histograms (DVH). Dose inhomogeneity was defined as any treatment volume outside the ICRU 50 dose distribution recommendations. RESULTS Fifty-two percent of single-slice plans and 21% of three-slice plans (when assessed volumetrically) had greater volumes of breast tissue outside the ICRU 50 report guidelines suggesting that better homogeneity could be achieved by assessing a greater number of slices. Seventy-nine percent of three-slice plans showed no homogeneity improvement if the plan was calculated with the entire 3D data set. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that a single-slice plan is unsatisfactory in providing sufficient information about the dose variation across the treatment volume and that ideally a 3D plan with DVHs should be produced. If the required data is unavailable then a minimum of three slices should be used as an approximation. We also propose a software tool for treatment planning systems, which calculates the percentage of the total PTV having dose outside the ICRU 50 radiation dose distribution homogeneity guideline range.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Vincent
- Radiation Oncology Department, Cancer Therapy Centre, Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales, Australia
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Neal AJ, Torr M, Helyer S, Yarnold JR. Correlation of breast dose heterogeneity with breast size using 3D CT planning and dose-volume histograms. Radiother Oncol 1995; 34:210-8. [PMID: 7631027 DOI: 10.1016/0167-8140(95)01521-h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of breast size on dose heterogeneity. Twenty women underwent a planning CT scan of the thorax. A three-dimensional treatment plan was devised for each patient using a standard technique of isocentric medial and lateral wedged tangential fields. Three-dimensional dose distributions were derived using an equivalent path length (EPL) inhomogeneity correction and cumulative dose-volume histogram (DVH) data calculated for the breast. Analysis of the DVHs for each patient reveals that 0.2-23.8% of the breast received an absorbed dose outside the desired 95-105% of that prescribed at the isocentre. The degree of dose heterogeneity was most strongly correlated with breast volume (r = 0.70, 95% confidence interval (C.I.) 0.37-0.87). There was also a positive correlation for breast dose heterogeneity versus brassière (bra) cup size (Spearman rank correlation rho = 0.62), breast area (r = 0.39, 95% C.I. -0.06-0.71) and chest wall separation (r = 0.31, 95% C.I. -0.15-0.66). We conclude that breast size is an important determinant of dose heterogeneity within the breast.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Neal
- Department of Physics, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey, UK
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Neal AJ, Mayles WP, Yarnold JR. Invited review: tangential breast irradiation--rationale and methods for improving dosimetry. Br J Radiol 1994; 67:1149-54. [PMID: 7874411 DOI: 10.1259/0007-1285-67-804-1149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years there have been great advances and innovations in all technical aspects of radiotherapy, including three dimensional (3D) computer planning, patient immobilization, radiation delivery and treatment verification. Despite this progress, the technique of tangential breast irradiation has changed little over this period and has not exploited these advances. There is increasing evidence that dose inhomogeneity within the breast is greater than at other anatomical sites, especially in women with large breasts. This paper is a review of the factors contributing to poor dosimetry in the breast, the clinical consequences of an inhomogeneous dose distribution, and how breast dosimetry could be improved by considering each of the stages from planning to accurate treatment delivery. It also highlights the particular problem of women with large breasts who may be more likely to have a poorer cosmetic outcome after a fractionated course of radiotherapy than women with small/medium-sized breasts, and supports the clinical impression that such women are also more likely to have greater dose inhomogeneity when 3D treatment plans are examined. Preliminary data from our current computed tomography (CT) planning study are presented to support these observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Neal
- Joint Department of Physics, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey, UK
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Ciocca M, Landoni L, Italia C, Montanaro P, Canesi P, Valdagni R. Quality control in the conservative treatment of breast cancer: patient dosimetry using silicon detectors. Radiother Oncol 1991; 22:304-7. [PMID: 1792325 DOI: 10.1016/0167-8140(91)90167-f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Twenty patients with early breast cancer were treated with external irradiation, delivered with two tangential beams (6 MV X-rays) using a half-beam block (HBB) and 3-D compensating filters. All patients were immobilized with individualized cellulose acetate casts. Patient dosimetry was performed using p-type silicon detectors. Midline doses were calculated by combined entrance and exit dose measurements. The mean ratio of the measured and the prescribed doses was 96.6 +/- 3.8% at the reference point, 96.8 +/- 4.3% at off-axis points on the central plane and 96.8 +/- 7.6% at off-plane points.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ciocca
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinica S. Pio X, Milan, Italy
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Mayles WP, Yarnold JR, Webb S. Improved dose homogeneity in the breast using tissue compensators. Radiother Oncol 1991; 22:248-51. [PMID: 1792316 DOI: 10.1016/0167-8140(91)90158-d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The improvements achievable by introducing individual tissue compensators in photon therapy of the breast were assessed. In 37 patients the dose ranged from +15% to -10% of the mid target dose using combinations of wedge filters and beam weights alone. With a tissue compensator the dose ranged from +4% to -11% provided that allowance was made for lung attenuation. A megavoltage imaging system is a potential source of the X-ray transmission data which can provide a basis for the calculation of thickness of the compensator.
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Affiliation(s)
- W P Mayles
- Joint Department of Physics, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, U.K
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