Recent developments in radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
10.5124/jkma.2013.56.11.983
- Author:
Hee Chul PARK
1
Author Information
1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. rophc@skku.edu
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Intensity-modulated radiotherapy;
Image-guided radiotherapy;
Respiration-gated radiotherapy;
Proton therapy;
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy
- MeSH:
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular*;
Humans;
Korea;
Liver Neoplasms;
Palliative Care;
Portal Vein;
Proton Therapy;
Radiotherapy*;
Radiotherapy, Image-Guided;
Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated;
Thrombosis
- From:Journal of the Korean Medical Association
2013;56(11):983-992
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
The role of radiotherapy in practice is mainly palliative. According to the Practice Guidelines for Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2009) developed by the Korean Liver Cancer Study Group and the National Cancer Center, Korea, radiotherapy can be applied for 1) refractoriness to trans-catheter hepatic arterial chemo-embolization, 2) portal vein tumor thrombosis, and 3) palliative therapy to reduce the symptoms caused by hepatocellular carcinoma. Radiotherapy is one of the most rapidly developing fields of medical research. Recent advances in intensity-modulated radiotherapy, image-guided radiotherapy, and respiratory-gated radiotherapy technologies have enabled more accurate and precise radiation delivery for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Proton therapy is also emerging as a candidate therapy for ablative measures for patients ineligible for other curative local therapies. Due to recent advances in radiotherapy technologies, radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma has been evolving into stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, which delivers an ablative dose of radiation in 1 to 4 sessions. Clinical series have confirmed that it is safe in Child-Pugh A patients and local control is sustained. The possibility for performing phase 3 randomized clinical trials involving the radiotherapy modality has increased with those advances. Not merely palliative, the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma will be expanded to potentially curative therapy in patients who are ineligible for other curative local therapies.
