Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy versus 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy Strategies for Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Chemoradiotherapy is the current standard of care in patients with advanced inoperable stage IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Three-dimensional radiotherapy (3DCRT) has been a trusted method for a long time and has well-known drawbacks, most of which could be improved by Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). IMRT is not currently the standard treatment of locally advanced NSCLC, but almost all patients could benefit to a degree in organ at risk sparing, dose coverage conformality, or dose escalation. The most critical step for a radiation oncology department is to strictly evaluate its own technical and physical capabilities to determine the ability of IMRT to deliver an optimal treatment plan. This includes calculating the internal tumor motion (ideally 4DCT or equivalent techniques), treatment planning software with an up-to-date heterogeneity correction algorithm, and daily image guidance. It is crucial to optimise and individualise the therapeutic ratio for each patient during the decision of 3DCRT versus IMRT. The current literature rationalises the increasing use of IMRT, including 4D imaging plus PET/CT, and encourages the applicable knowledge-based and individualised dose escalation using advanced daily image-guided radiotherapy.