Mary Kara Bucci

Study Shows 4DCT Imaging Has Potential to Reduce Radiotherapy Margins

Dr. Mary Kara Bucci, an experienced radiation oncologist, serves as part of the oncology team at the New Mexico Cancer Center. A recipient of many honors, including being named one of the Best Doctors in America four times, Mary Kara Bucci, MD is frequently published in medical journals, including the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics (IJROBP).

Dr. Bucci co-authored a 2010 article published in IJROBP titled Evaluation of Tumor Position and PTV Margins Using Image Guidance and Respiratory Gating. The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of two methods, image-guided patient setup and respiratory gating, at increasing certainty about tumor position. Image-guided setup relies on radiological images, while respiratory gating uses four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) technology to monitor tumor movement continuously during normal breathing.

After studying seven patients with lung tumors, researchers found that using image-guided patient setup reduced margins by 0.7-1.7 centimeters, and adding the respiratory gating technique reduced the margins even further. The study concludes that physicians should use respiratory motion management in conjunction with the image-guided patient setup to achieve the smallest margins and provide the safest treatment.

Four-dimensional Computed Tomography Monitors Tumor Movement in Lung

A board-certified radiation oncologist, Mary Kara Bucci, MD treats patients at the New Mexico Cancer Center in Albuquerque. Honored as one of America’s Top Oncologists three times, Dr. Mary Kara Bucci has published multiple articles in medical journals, including a 2009 article she co-authored on using a four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) to plan radiation treatments.

A method for obtaining CT scans of each respiratory phase, 4DCT has potential benefits for radiation treatment planning, according to the article titled The Use of 4DCT to Reduce Lung Dose: a Dosimetric Analysis, published in Medical Dosimetry, the journal of the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Specifically, 4DCT scanning offers valuable information on tumor movement within the lung, which permits surgeons to adjust their radiation margins based on natural breathing movements.

Although the custom motion margins 4DCT imaging facilitates may include normal lung tissue in the radiation field, researchers believe this method is more precise than using generic motion margins. The report concludes by encouraging future dosimetry research that examines free-breathing patients with both traditional CT and 4DCT imaging to assess changes in normal lung radiotherapy doses.

Study Assess Dosing Effectiveness for Time-Release Radiotherapy

Time-Release Radiotherapy
Image: webmd.com

An Albuquerque-based radiation oncologist serving at the New Mexico Cancer Center, Mary Kara Bucci, MD was named one of America’s Top Oncologists in 2009, 2011, and 2012. Having written numerous peer-reviewed articles in medical journals, Dr. Mary Kara Bucci co-authored an article on dosing in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans, which was published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.

Titled Method to Account for Dose Fractionation in Analysis of IMRT Plans: Modified Equivalent Uniform Dose (mEUD), the study aimed to improve radiotherapy outcomes by adjusting recommended doses for patients who receive time-release radiation therapy. Specifically, the study sought to determine effective dosing ranges by developing what oncologists call a modified equivalent uniform dose (mEUD), which takes into account the generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) as well as the biologically effective dose.

The study analyzed 41 patients with nasopharyngeal cancer who received IMRT treatment plans. Researchers concluded that combining the gEUD with the biologically effective dose to achieve a modified dosing system offers the advantages of the current generalized dosing system, while also accounting for the effects of time-release radiotherapy.

ASCO Says Alcohol Linked to Cancer

Dr. Mary Kara Bucci is a radiation oncologist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who also maintains affiliations with a number of hospitals, such as Presbyterian Hospital and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Throughout her career, Dr. Mary Kara Bucci has held membership in a number of professional organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

According to a recent ASCO study, regularly using alcohol increases a person’s risk of developing cancer later in life. Researchers found that approximately 5-6 percent of newly diagnosed cancers, as well as cancer fatalities, have a direct link to alcohol use. This is important information to have in the public sphere, as a previous ASCO study found that upwards of 70 percent of Americans don’t see alcohol use as a potential cancer risk.

In his comments, ASCO President Bruce Johnson, MD, said that people don’t normally think of alcohol use as a cancer risk, which is one of the reasons why the organization conducted the study. He also said the results will help give medical professionals the information they need to help educate their patients on cancer risks.