QUALITY OF LIFE IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER

描述(申请人的描述) 晚期头颈部恶性肿瘤的标准放射治疗通常会导致 永久性口干症被患者列为减少的主要原因 生活质量。为了减少辐射引起的口干症，我们 已经开始研究保留主要唾液腺的可行性 组织，同时充分照射需要的患者的靶 全面、双侧颈部照射。为此，我们利用 基于计算机断层扫描的适形三维(3D)放射规划 和治疗工具。我们已经实现了足够的目标覆盖率和 明显保留腮腺组织。显著的唾液流量 保护工作已经实现。这项工作的目标是改进 辐射后的长期生活质量。我们在建议中的目标 研究是为了评估中国人生活质量的改善程度 应用这些技术治疗的患者与S I型患者的比较 使用标准技术进行治疗，以评估在 口干症和生活质量与唾液量有关。 在辐射后保留，并确定之间的关系 照射的体积和向腮腺及其周围组织传递的剂量 放射后的功能。结果将建立方法论 用于进行随机的、更大规模的试验，这些试验需要测试 我们所使用的技术在多大程度上改善了生活质量 同时保持与标准技术相比的肿瘤控制率，以及 以确定这样的试验是否值得进行。

DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Description) Standard radiation for advanced head and neck malignancies typically causes permanent xerostomia that is cited by patients as a major cause of reduced quality of life. In an effort to reduce radiation-induced xerostomia, we have initiated a study of the feasibility of sparing major salivary gland tissue while adequately irradiating the targets in patients requiring comprehensive, bilateral neck irradiation. For this purpose, we utilize computed-tomography based conformal, 3-dimensional (3D) radiation planning and treatment tools. We have achieved adequate target coverage and significant sparing of parotid gland tissue. Significant saliva flow preservation has been achieved. The goal of this work is to improve long-term quality of life following radiation. Our aims in the proposed study are to assess the extent of improvement in the quality of life in patients treated using these techniques compared with s i milar patients treated with standard techniques, to assess whether improvements in xerostomia and quality of life are related to the amount of saliva flow retained following radiation, and to determine the relationships between the volumes irradiated and the doses delivered to the parotid glands and their function following radiation. The results will establish the methodology for conducting randomized, larger trials that are required to test the extent to which the techniques we have utilized improve quality of life while preserving tumor control rates compared with standard techniques, and to determine if such trials are worth undertaking.