title: [Intraoperative electron radiotherapy (IOERT) in the QUART sequence: a phase I study].
abstract: We evaluated the tolerance of a single dose of 800-1500 cGy, delivered with an electron beam from an IOERT-dedicated linear accelerator to the tumour bed in patients with breast cancer undergoing conservative treatment, instead of the traditional boost. We enrolled 27 patients (cT1-2, cN0). The first 6 received a dose of 800 cGy, 6 1000 cGy, 10 1200 cGy and 5 1500 cGy. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with a conventional schedule, 4000 cGy total dose, was performed after wound healing. The median gap between IOERT and EBRT was 8 weeks. Three patients with adverse prognostic factors undergoing chemotherapy, including doxorubicin or taxanes, received EBRT after completion of chemotherapy. One patient with a prosthesis implant had yielding of the surgical scar 8 months after IOERT (after 4 cycles of doxorubicin and 4 cycles of CMF complicated by frequent mastitis). Another patient with a large serum collection in the axilla manifested delayed scar formation. In the others no significant increase in healing time or surgery-related morbidity was observed. Another 4 patients developed mastitis. The cosmetic outcome was good in 26/27 patients. This treatment is well tolerated at all IOERT doses delivered. In the follow-up, to date, there have been no local relapses.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Radioterapia Oncologica, Azienda Ospedaliera Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli, Reggio Calabria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Odantini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazzitelli
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bellia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Pietro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: al Sayyad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capua
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage