Program Information

Biologically Related Models for Treatment Planning

E Yorke*, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

TH-F-213AB-2 Thursday 2:00:00 PM - 2:50:00 PM Room: 213AB

The dose and dose-volume metrics used in treatment planning are surrogates for the beneficial (tumor control) and adverse (normal tissue complications) biological effects of radiation therapy. It would be clearer to skip the surrogates and go directly to the effects. While this is not currently possible or safe, planners and physicians are cautiously putting biologically related models into clinical use to assist them in evaluating treatment plan quality and in driving inverse planning algorithms. In this part of the session, we briefly review commonly used models that relate external beam radiation dose distributions to tumor control probability (TCP) or normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) for major complications. Topics discussed include

1. The common TCP and NTCP models
2. Current data supporting these and good sources of updates
3. Limitations of current models
4. Pitfalls - why current models should be used with caution
5. Opportunities for future improvement

Learning objectives:
1. Understand where to access NTCP model information and parameters and where to check for updates
2. Understand qualitative features of the dose-volume dependence of three major dose-limiting complications
3. Understand some of the pitfalls of taking current models too literally

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