title: Skin toxicity and cosmesis after hypofractionated whole breast irradiation for early breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess and compare the impact on skin reactions and cosmesis between hypofractionated whole breast and conventional irradiation for early breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three patients with operable breast cancer (pT1-3pN0-1M0) who underwent breast-conserving surgery were assigned for irradiation to either conventional arm (50 Gy in 25 fractions) with a sequential electron boost of 15-16 Gy over five weeks or hypofractionated arm (43.2 Gy in 16 fractions) with a concomitant electron boost of 0.6 Gy over three weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3-week follow-up, skin toxicities in the hypofractionated arm were significantly worse than that seen in the conventional arm, while at 6-week follow-up, the percentages of skin toxicities in the conventional arm were higher After a median follow-up of six months, there was no significant difference in skin toxicities between the two treatment groups. In addition, there were no significant differences in the mean scores of cosmetic outcome for patients between two regimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This hypofractionated radiotherapy regimen of 43.2 Gy in 16 fractions with a concomitant electron boost showed good results in terms of normal tissue effects and cosmesis. A long-term follow-up is needed to confirm these favorable results.
authors.affiliation: Division of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Kitwadee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saksornchai
authors.forename: Prayuth
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rojpornpradit
authors.forename: Kanjana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shotelersak
authors.forename: Chawalit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lertbutsayanukul
authors.forename: Chakkapong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chakkabat
authors.forename: Tassapong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Raiyawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D055815:Young Adult