title: Clinical experience in breast irradiation with intensity modulated photon beams.
abstract: Since 2002, twenty-five patients affected by breast cancer, for whom extensive lung/heart involvement was expected from conventional techniques, were irradiated with intensity modulated photon beams (IMRT). For 10 patients the internal mammary lymphatic chain was included in the target, 6 patients received treatment of the thoracic wall after mastectomy and 9 patients were treated after breast conserving surgery. Dose prescription ranged between 48.6 and 50 Gy at 1.8 or 2 Gy per fraction. The target volume (PTV) ranged from 194 to 2121 cm3. For all cases a Dose Volume Histogram analysis has been conducted on omolateral lung, heart, contralateral lung and breast, healthy tissue and PTV. For PTV the volume receiving more than 90% of the prescribed dose (V90%) was 95.8+/-1.8% while V107% = 5.3+/-2.8%. The mean dose computed for the heart was 10.4+/-2.9 Gy, for the omolateral lung: 13.3+/-2.8 Gy, for the contralateral breast: 3.4+/-1.8 Gy, for the contralateral lung: 4.6+/-2.7 Gy. For the omolateral lung V20Gy = 23.1+/-7.0% and V45Gy = 0.8+/-0.9 Gy. With a short mean follow up of 10.4 months, no pulmonary or cardiac complications were observed. IMRT proved to be technically feasible on a clinical basis for the treatment of the whole breast, including internal mammary chain, or of the thoracic wall after mastectomy.
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Unit, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland. lucozzi@iosi.ch
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fogliata
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicolini
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006321:Heart / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000528:radiation effects; D015182:Lymphatic Irradiation; D008408:Mastectomy; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000528:radiation effects