Heavy ion radiotherapy during pregnancy

Abstract

Objective: To provide a safe particle therapy treatment for a pregnant woman with skull-base cancer.

Design: Case report.

Setting: University clinic.

Patient(s): A 27-year-old woman diagnosed for a skull-base chordoma and whose pregnancy was found during the course of radiotherapy with accelerated carbon ions.

Intervention(s): Therapy was continued as scheduled, and fetal dose produced by photons and neutrons was measured at each radiotherapy fraction using passive and active monitors.

Main outcome measure(s): Radiation dose to the uterus. Health of the mother and the newborn.

Result(s): Total dose to the uterus was <0.2 mSv. About 30% of this dose was caused by neutrons. Magnetic resonance imaging of the skull base showed no evidence of recurrent disease in the mother. The child was healthy with normal development.

Conclusion(s): Heavy ion cancer therapy produces a very low dose in distal organs.