ArticleTechnical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology2026
Feasibility of transitioning to marker-less immobilisation using optical surface guidance in head and neck cancer treatment: a study at territory state cancer centre in a developing country.
Article in Technical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose/Objectives: In countries such as India, where a large share of cancer patients undergoes head and neck radiotherapy, setups still rely primarily on laser alignment with surface markers on the mask. This study explores transitioning from conventional marker-based setup to markerless setups using optical surface guidance (SGRT) to determine if treatment accuracy can be maintained particularly in a territory state cancer centre setting where resources are limited. Materials/Methods: A prospective study of 80 head-and-neck cancer patients, randomized into two groups was performed: open-face mask group (OM) with optical surface guidance (AlignRT) versus conventional masks with surface-marker setup. All received Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy VMAT (60-70 Gy in 30-35 fractions). Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) verified positioning, and translational/rotational shifts were used to calculate systematic (Σ) and random (σ) errors. Group differences were analyzed with an independent t-test. Results: Translational setup errors in both OM and CM systems were consistently below 0.2 cm across all axes, with no statistically significant differences observed (p > 0.05). Rotational deviations in pitch, roll, and yaw were generally within 1°, with OM showing slightly improved stability trends compared to CM. Weekly error analysis confirmed stable reproducibility better in OM group compared to the CM over the treatment course. Conclusion: The open-face mask with optical surface guidance is a feasible alternative to conventional closed-face masks in head and neck cancer treatment. It offers comparable accuracy, lateral axis advantage and comparable precision in vertical and longitudinal axes. It enhances patient comfort without increasing imaging frequency or margins and improves treatment outcomes.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.