Prone Treatment Position as a Novel Option for Head and Neck Cancer Patients with Unmanageable Secretions

A prone treatment setup is used by some institutions for treatment of breast, rectal, and anal cancer, for enhanced normal tissue sparing, specifically lower doses to heart, lung, and bowel. However, many have reported that a supine orientation demonstrates better setup reproducibility. Radiotherapy for head and neck cancers (HNC) is typically delivered with the patient in supine position due to reproducibility and comfort, with a thermoplastic mass for head and shoulder immobilization. It is not uncommon, however, to have a patient who cannot tolerate this position because of pooling of secretions, which can lead to aspiration, anxiety, and subsequent issues during setup and treatment, and at times, patient noncompliance with treatment – all of which can lead to adverse patient outcomes.
Source: International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Toxicity, Quality of Life, Survivorship, Costs of Care Source Type: research