Heavy ion radiotherapy during pregnancy
To provide a safe particle therapy treatment for a pregnant woman with skull-base cancer. Case report. University clinic. 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. Therapy was continued as scheduled, and fetal dose produced by photons and neutrons was measured at each radiotherapy fraction using passive and active monitors. Radiation dose to the uterus. Health of the mother and the newborn. 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. Heavy ion cancer therapy produces a very low dose in distal organs.