Californium Cf-252 for Pelvic Radiotherapy

Abstract

Clinical data about therapy concerning tumors of the female gynecological cancers of the cervix, vagina and uterus are reviewed. Dosimetric, laboratory and radiobiological research data form the basis for an approach to such tumors using Cf-252 as a form of boost brachytherapy. Extreme personnel hazards are a real and important consideration and indicate that maximal containment and isolation procedures should be exercised in its use. But it is anticipated that new possibilities for successful radiotherapy of an important category of tumor will be realised by its clinical evaluation and application.

Assessment of Neutron/Gamma-Ray Dose Ratios in Intracavitary252Cf Neutron Therapy

“…The favorable n/'Y ratios observed in these studies suggest that 252Cf offers effective and biologically potent advantages for pelvic intracavitary radiotherapy (7). If this indeed proves to be the case, this radionuclide may give improved results in the more advanced or radioresistant varieties and stages of gynecologic tumor.…”

RBE of spleen CFU-S to low dose rate Cf-252 neutron or photon radiation

“…Moreover, late tissue reactions may occur whose RBE's are likewise presently unknown and may be very high. While such investigations will be undertaken in studies underway, it is well to note that the prognosis of the cancers treated with Cf-252 was so grave and inevitably fatal that clinical trials were needed if treatment was to be improved [16,19]. Concurrent basic biological studies also need to be carried out since observed tumor responses to neutrons were so different [14,15] that the simple adjustment of a prescribed dose by a RBE value may not only mislead but actually misguide the intent of the planned therapeutic program.…”

“…A clinical trial for Cf-252 neutron radiotherapy for advanced pelvic carcinoma was initiated at the University of Kentucky Medical Center by Maruyama et al (1978). Certain tissues, both neoplastic and normal, lie in close proximity to the sources when irradiation takes place.…”

Structural Characteristics, Population Analysis, and Binding Energies of [An(NO3)]2+(with An = Ac to Lr)

“…Yet despite their radioactivity, these elements are of considerable importance in a number of disparate areas, including military nuclear applications, civilian nuclear power, − neutron radiography, − and radiothermal generators for space missions . Furthermore, they are also employed in cancer treatments and neutron therapy, − in geological analysis in marine sediment modeling, and in astronomy . Due to their radioactivity and often short half-lives, they present challenges for experimental science, which intimates that effective theory could aide many applications without the need for specialized radiation laboratories. − Unfortunately, electronic structure calculations performed with traditional approaches become increasingly more difficult as the number of electrons and relativistic effects increase, which leads to a higher computational cost to achieve accuracy .…”