title: Perioperative implantation of iridium-192 as the boost technique for stage I and II breast cancer: results of a 10-year study of 655 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of perioperative implantation of iridium-192 for stage I and II breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors retrospectively reviewed findings from 655 patients with stage I and II cancer treated with conservative surgery and Ir-192 implantation between 1982 and 1992. Hollow plastic tubes were placed in the tumor bed as a single- or double-plane implant at lumpectomy. Ribbons with Ir-192 seeds were inserted into the tubes 4-6 hours later. The Ir-192 was left in place for approximately 50 hours. External-beam irradiation was given to the whole breast 10-14 days later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up ranged from 2 to 146 months. The local control at 10 years for stage I and II disease was 93% and 87%, respectively. The 10-year actuarial survival rate was 92% +/- 1 for stage I disease and 72% +/- 4 for stage II disease. The rate of survival with no evidence of disease for stage I and II disease combined was 82% +/- 1 at 5 years and 75% +/- 3 at 10 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perioperative implantation produced excellent local control equal to that with electron-beam therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Bodine Center for Cancer Treatment, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5097.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mansfield
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Komarnicky
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Jewell
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Rosato
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barbot
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Cohn
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes