Postsurgical treatment of early-stage breast cancer with electronic brachytherapy: outcomes and health-related quality of life at 1 year.
OBJECTIVE
This multicenter registry followed up patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery and electronic brachytherapy (EBT). This report provides 1- and 2-year updates to the initial publication.


METHODS
Patients were of age 50 years or more with invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ, tumor size ≤3 cm, and negative surgical margins. After lumpectomy, patients received EBT in 10 fractions over 5 days (34 Gy total).


RESULTS
Of the 69 patients enrolled, 62 were evaluated at 1 year and 20 patients at 2 years after treatment. At 1 year, 28 (45.2%) patients reported adverse events that were possibly, probably, or definitely related to treatment. Most (90%) were grade 1: manageable and typical of radiation therapy. Four events were grade 2: induration/firmness (2), field contracture (1), and seroma (1). One event was grade 3: a draining fistula at the lumpectomy site due to residual effects of a breast infection at 1 month. No recurrences have been reported. Cosmetic ratings were excellent or good in 93.4% of patients at 1 year. Most patients (69%) were energetic most or all of the time. Most patients (69% to 98%) were not affected by individual symptoms of breast disease at 1 year. Generally patients who had an adverse event did not report the corresponding symptom on the quality-of-life questionnaire.


CONCLUSIONS
This registry followed up patients with early-stage breast cancer at 1 and 2 years after breast-conserving surgery and EBT. No recurrences have been reported, and adverse effects were acceptable.
¶¶Beverly Oncology & Imaging Medical Center ##Odou and Nugent MDs, Montebello *Western Radiation Oncology Inc., Pleasanton, CA †Dallas Surgical Group ‡Northpoint Cancer Center, Dallas, TX §Breast Specialists ∥AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Egg Harbor Township, NJ ¶DCH Regional Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL #Memorial and St Elizabeth's Cancer Treatment Center, Swansea **Southern Illinois Surgical Consultants, Maryville, IL ††Florida Radiation Oncology ‡‡North Florida Surgeons, Orange Park, FL §§Cancer Institute of Cape Girardeau ∥∥Cape Girardeau Surgical Clinic, Cape Girardeau, MO ***Shields Health Care Group, Quincy †††Surgical Associates, Taunton §§§Brockton Hospital, Brockton, MA ‡‡‡Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY.
Rakesh R
RR
Patel
Peter D
PD
Beitsch
Timothy D
TD
Nichols
John D
JD
Lorenzetti
James C
JC
Wurzer
James C
JC
Tucker
George W
GW
Nunn
Susan J
SJ
Laduzinsky
Morris A
MA
Kugler
Dwelvin L
DL
Simmons
Michael S
MS
Gilligan
Tapan
T
Roy
Jonathon K
JK
Foley
John P
JP
Thropay
Mark William
MW
Odou
Bruce A
BA
Bornstein
Elizabeth P
EP
Tito
Manjeet
M
Chadha
Susan K
SK
Boolbol
Steven C
SC
Lane
Julie G
JG
White
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D015996:Survival Rate