Evaluation of Radiobiological Effects in Skin Toxicities for Breast Cancer Patients With Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Therapy
Covenant Health Cancer Center
Summary
This purpose of this study is to examine skin reactions (called radiation dermatitis) that occur during pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy. The researchers will test a unique technique called "Spot Delete" to see if it can reduce skin reactions for breast patients treated with PBS. They will also use a special computer model to study how the energy of the proton beam (linear energy transfer) is related to these skin reactions. The study involves creating a treatment plan based on a CT scan, which helps guide the proton beam in the body. The clinical team uses this CT scan to find the best placement for the protons. The "Spot Delete" method prevents protons from stopping in the skin, which is thought to cause skin redness.
Description
During the study, digital photos of patients' skin will be taken to assess the amount of redness, without revealing their identity. Patients will be given a self-report questionnaire and medical staff will document the skin reactions in the patients' medical charts. The degree of skin reactions will be compared against historical occurrence rates, and the location of any skin reactions that occur will be compared against the predicted location from the computer model. In this study, we aim to test the hypothesis that the "Spot Delete" technique in proton therapy reduces radiation dermatitis in…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * The patient must consent to be in the study and must have signed an approved consent form conforming to federal and institutional guidelines. * Patients must be equal to or greater than 18 years old. * The patient must have stage 0, I, II, or III breast cancer * On histological examination, the tumor must be ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) or invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast * Surgical treatment of the breast must have been lumpectomy or mastectomy * Patients must have an estrogen receptor (ER) analysis performed on the primary tumor * Progesterone (PgR) analysis is…
Interventions
- RadiationPencil Beam Scanning Proton Therapy
Part of the normal proton therapy process is to have a CT scan (called a CT simulation) performed that is used to create a proton treatment plan. A proton treatment plan is a computer model of the proton beam that is used to calculate where the protons will go inside the body. During the treatment planning process, the clinical team works to find the best possible placement of the protons. This study uses a process called "Spot Delete" to keep protons from stopping in the skin, which is believed to be related to skin reddening. Spot Delete is a software application that was developed at the Thompson Proton Center and is used in the treatment planning process.
Location
- Thompson Proton CenterKnoxville, Tennessee