title: Breast-conserving surgery for primary breast cancer: necessity for surgical clips to define the tumor bed for radiation planning.
abstract: Radiographs obtained at definitive and boost irradiation in 50 patients with stage I-II breast cancer were retrospectively examined. Tangent target fields planned on the basis of surgical clips placed at excision biopsy were evaluated with simulation radiographs. Four (8%) of 50 tangent target fields would have been inadequate without clips, and 23 (46%) of the boost targets would have been missed (12 [24%], totally; 11 (22%), marginally). Radiopaque surgical clips placed at excision biopsy help plan boost-irradiation target fields.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98111, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: McFall
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hehr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013525:Surgical Instruments