Dosimetric Impact of Inter-Fraction Anatomical Changes in Carbon Ion Boost Treatment for High-Risk Prostate Cancer (AIRC IG 14300)

The Role of Carbon Ion Therapy in the Changing Oncology Landscape-A Narrative Review of the Literature and the Decade of Carbon Ion Experience at the Italian National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy

BACKGROUND

Currently, 13 Asian and European facilities deliver carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) for preclinical and clinical activity, and, to date, 55 clinical studies including CIRT for adult and paediatric solid neoplasms have been registered. The National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO) is the only Italian facility able to accelerate both protons and carbon ions for oncological treatment and research.

METHODS

To summarise and critically evaluate state-of-the-art knowledge on the application of carbon ion radiotherapy in oncological settings, the authors conducted a literature search till December 2022 in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane. The results of 68 studies are reported using a narrative approach, highlighting CNAO's clinical activity over the last 10 years of CIRT.

RESULTS

The ballistic and radiobiological hallmarks of CIRT make it an effective option in several rare, radioresistant, and difficult-to-treat tumours. CNAO has made a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge on CIRT delivery in selected tumour types.

CONCLUSIONS

After an initial ramp-up period, CNAO has progressively honed its clinical, technical, and dosimetric skills. Growing engagement with national and international networks and research groups for complex cancers has led to increasingly targeted patient selection for CIRT and lowered barriers to facility access.

Optimizing 3DCT image registration for interfractional changes in carbon-ion prostate radiotherapy

To perform setup procedures including both positional and dosimetric information, we developed a CT-CT rigid image registration algorithm utilizing water equivalent pathlength (WEPL)-based image registration and compared the resulting dose distribution with those of two other algorithms, intensity-based image registration and target-based image registration, in prostate cancer radiotherapy using the carbon-ion pencil beam scanning technique. We used the data of the carbon ion therapy planning CT and the four-weekly treatment CTs of 19 prostate cancer cases. Three CT-CT registration algorithms were used to register the treatment CTs to the planning CT. Intensity-based image registration uses CT voxel intensity information. Target-based image registration uses target position on the treatment CTs to register it to that on the planning CT. WEPL-based image registration registers the treatment CTs to the planning CT using WEPL values. Initial dose distributions were calculated using the planning CT with the lateral beam angles. The treatment plan parameters were optimized to administer the prescribed dose to the PTV on the planning CT. Weekly dose distributions using the three different algorithms were calculated by applying the treatment plan parameters to the weekly CT data. Dosimetry, including the dose received by 95% of the clinical target volume (CTV-D95), rectal volumes receiving > 20 Gy (RBE) (V20), > 30 Gy (RBE) (V30), and > 40 Gy (RBE) (V40), were calculated. Statistical significance was assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Interfractional CTV displacement over all patients was 6.0 ± 2.7 mm (19.3 mm maximum standard amount). WEPL differences between the planning CT and the treatment CT were 1.2 ± 0.6 mm-H₂O (< 3.9 mm-H₂O), 1.7 ± 0.9 mm-H₂O (< 5.7 mm-H₂O) and 1.5 ± 0.7 mm-H₂O (< 3.6 mm-H₂O maxima) with the intensity-based image registration, target-based image registration, and WEPL-based image registration, respectively. For CTV coverage, the D95 values on the planning CT were > 95% of the prescribed dose in all cases. The mean CTV-D95 values were 95.8 ± 11.5% and 98.8 ± 1.7% with the intensity-based image registration and target-based image registration, respectively. The WEPL-based image registration was CTV-D95 to 99.0 ± 0.4% and rectal Dmax to 51.9 ± 1.9 Gy (RBE) compared to 49.4 ± 9.1 Gy (RBE) with intensity-based image registration and 52.2 ± 1.8 Gy (RBE) with target-based image registration. The WEPL-based image registration algorithm improved the target coverage from the other algorithms and reduced rectal dose from the target-based image registration, even though the magnitude of the interfractional variation was increased.

Dosimetric Impact of Intrafraction Prostate Motion and Interfraction Anatomical Changes in Dose-Escalated Linac-Based SBRT

The dosimetric impact of intrafraction prostate motion and interfraction anatomical changes and the effect of beam gating and motion correction were investigated in dose-escalated linac-based SBRT. Fifty-six gated fractions were delivered using a novel electromagnetic tracking device with a 2 mm threshold. Real-time prostate motion data were incorporated into the patient's original plan with an isocenter shift method. Delivered dose distributions were obtained by recalculating these motion-encoded plans on deformed CTs reflecting the patient's CBCT daily anatomy. Non-gated treatments were simulated using the prostate motion data assuming that no treatment interruptions have occurred. The mean relative dose differences between delivered and planned treatments were -3.0% [-18.5-2.8] for CTV D99% and -2.6% [-17.8-1.0] for PTV D95%. The median cumulative CTV coverage with 93% of the prescribed dose was satisfactory. Urethra sparing was slightly degraded, with the maximum dose increased by only 1.0% on average, and a mean reduction in the rectum and bladder doses was seen in almost all dose metrics. Intrafraction prostate motion marginally contributed in gated treatments, while in non-gated treatments, further deteriorations in the minimum target coverage and bladder dose metrics would have occurred on average. The implemented motion management strategy and the strict patient preparation regimen, along with other treatment optimization strategies, ensured no significant degradations of dose metrics in delivered treatments.

Hadron Therapy Achievements and Challenges: The CNAO Experience

Protons and carbon ions (hadrons) have useful properties for the treatments of patients affected by oncological pathologies. They are more precise than conventional X-rays and possess radiobiological characteristics suited for treating radio-resistant or inoperable tumours. This paper gives an overview of the status of hadron therapy around the world. It focusses on the Italian National Centre for Oncological Hadron therapy (CNAO), introducing operation procedures, system performance, expansion projects, methodologies and modelling to build individualized treatments. There is growing evidence that supports safety and effectiveness of hadron therapy for a variety of clinical situations. However, there is still a lack of high-level evidence directly comparing hadron therapy with modern conventional radiotherapy techniques. The results give an overview of pre-clinical and clinical research studies and of the treatments of 3700 patients performed at CNAO. The success and development of hadron therapy is strongly associated with the creation of networks among hadron therapy facilities, clinics, universities and research institutions. These networks guarantee the growth of cultural knowledge on hadron therapy, favour the efficient recruitment of patients and present available competences for R&D (Research and Development) programmes.