Comparison of different treatment planning optimization methods for vaginal HDR brachytherapy with multichannel applicators: A reduction of the high doses to the vaginal mucosa is possible

Purpose A direct planning approach with multi-channel vaginal cylinders (MVCs) used for HDR brachytherapy of vaginal cancers is particularly challenging. Purpose of this study was to compare the dosimetric performances of different forward and inverse methods used for the optimization of MVC-based vaginal treatments for endometrial cancer, with a particular attention to the definition of strategies useful to limit the high doses to the vaginal...