University of MarylandBaltimore / Amit Sawant*. Tokihiro Yamamoto*
Overview
Current radiotherapy treatment planning for lung cancer does not account for regional differences in pulmonary function. Functional avoidance radiotherapy has been proposed to overcome this limitation by intentionally minimizing dose to higher functioning lung areas while favoring radiation deposition in lower functioning regions. Preliminary studies have demonstrated the potential dosimetric advantages of functional avoidance treatment planning over conventional treatment planning in its ability to maximally spare functional lung tissue. While some believe that lung functional avoidance radiotherapy in clinical trials is well justified and supported by currently available evidences, others have concerns regarding its fundamental assumptions and technique limitations and therefore consider it not to be ready for clinical deployment. This is the topic of this month's Point/Counterpoint debate.
Arguing for the Proposition is Amit Sawant, Ph.D. Dr. Sawant is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His current research is focused on developing novel forms of real‐time multimodality image guidance (surface photogrammetry, MRI, CT), functional imaging in lung stereotactic‐body radiotherapy (SBRT), higher order treatment planning using graphics processing unit (GPU)‐based high‐performance computing, thermal therapy, and small animal image‐guided radiotherapy.
Arguing against the Proposition is Tokihiro Yamamoto, Ph.D. Dr. Yamamoto is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California Davis. He received his Ph.D. in Medical Physics and Engineering from Osaka University, Japan in 2007. After completing his Ph.D., he received postdoctoral training in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Stanford University, California. He has published 38 peer‐reviewed articles and one book chapter. He currently serves on the editorial board of Advances in Radiation Oncology. His main scientific interests are focused on developing and investigating novel imaging technologies and integrating these innovations into clinical radiotherapy to improve clinical outcomes.