title: Comparison between intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and 3D tangential beams technique used in patients with early-stage breast cancer who received breast-conserving therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most often found complications in patients with breast cancer who received radiotherapy are cardiac and pulmonary function disorders and development of second malignancies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the intensity modulated radiotherapy with the 3D tangential beams technique in respect of dose distribution in target volume and critical organs they generate in patients with early-stage breast cancer who received breast-conserving therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A dosimetric analysis was performed to assess the three radiotherapy techniques used in each of 10 consecutive patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with breast-conserving therapy. Radiotherapy was planned with the use of all the three techniques: 3D tangential beams with electron boost, IMRT with electron boost, and intensity modulated radiotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of the IMRT techniques enables more homogenous dose distribution in target volume. The range of mean and median dose to the heart and lung was lower with the IMRT techniques in comparison to the 3D tangential beams technique. The range of mean dose to the heart amounted to 0.3-3.5 Gy for the IMRT techniques and 0.4-4.3 for the tangential beams technique. The median dose to the lung on the irradiated side amounted to 4.9-5 Gy for the IMRT techniques and 5.6 Gy for the 3D tangential beams technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The application of the IMRT techniques in radiotherapy patients with early-stage breast cancer allows to obtain more homogenous dose distribution in target volume, while permitting to reduce the dose to critical organs.
authors.affiliation: Breast and Thoracic Cancer Unit, Centre of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Cracow Branch, Garncarska 11, 31-115 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sas-Korczyńska
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Centre of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Cracow Branch, Garncarska 11, 31-115 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sladowska
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Centre of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Cracow Branch, Garncarska 11, 31-115 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Bożena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rozwadowska-Bogusz
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Radiology, Centre of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Cracow Branch, Garncarska 11, 31-115 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dyczek
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Centre of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Cracow Branch, Garncarska 11, 31-115 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lesiak
authors.affiliation: Breast and Thoracic Cancer Unit, Centre of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Cracow Branch, Garncarska 11, 31-115 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kokoszka
authors.affiliation: Breast and Thoracic Cancer Unit, Centre of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Cracow Branch, Garncarska 11, 31-115 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Stanisław
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korzeniowski
keywords: Breast-conserving therapy; Early-stage breast cancer; Intensity modulated radiotherapy; Radiotherapy; Tangential beams technique