Researcher ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4085-6052
Graduation Year
2023
Date of Submission
12-2022
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Biophysics
Reader 1
Dr. Alejandro Bertolet
Reader 2
Dr. Janet Sheung
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2022 Marcus J Lindsey
Abstract
Trans-arterial radioembolization (TARE) is a protracted modality of radiation therapy where radionuclides labeled with Yttrium-90 (90Y) are inserted inside a patient's hepatic artery to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While TARE has been shown to be a clinically effective and safe treatment, there is little understanding of the radiobiological relationship between absorbed dose and tissue response, and thus there is no dosimetric standard for treatment planning. The Biologically Effective Dose (BED) formalism, derived from the Linear-Quadratic model of radiobiology, is used to weigh the absorbed dose by the time pattern of delivery. BED is a virtual dose that can be thought of as a common 'language' with which various forms of radiation therapy can use to 'communicate'. BED allows conclusions to be drawn about the biological response of TARE by putting it in conversation with what is known about the biological response of other treatment modalities, namely external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). A Python program was developed to calculate BED from absorbed dose distributions of six HCC patients treated at Massachusetts General Hospital, and optimized treatment activity levels with respect to biological response were determined. Within the limits of the BED analysis, none of the patients had originally received the optimal dose, with some patients having been overdosed and some having been underdosed. The results show there is a disconnect between the current clinical treatment planning standard for TARE and the tissue's biological response. This study suggests the need for patient-specific TARE dosimetry which considers biological response, such as BED or another adaptive model.
Recommended Citation
Lindsey, MJ, "Analysis of Biologically Effective Dose for Retroactive Yttrium-90 Trans-arterial Radioembolization Treatment Optimization" (2023). CMC Senior Theses. 3103.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/3103
Included in
Biological and Chemical Physics Commons, Biophysics Commons, Biotechnology Commons, Cancer Biology Commons, Radiation Medicine Commons, Therapeutics Commons
