title: Effects of Millimetric Shifts in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy on the Radiation Dose Distribution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to facilitate decision-making in cases of breast cancer radiotherapy shifts by simulating millimetric shifts and analyzing their effects on dose distribution.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 30 patients with left side breast cancer who were treated with three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) in the Radiation Oncology Department in Hatay Public Hospital, between January 2013 and April 2015. A treatment plan shifting at three axes with six different measures was simulated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The biggest difference in values was (+3mm shift) 476cGy, with a 7.7 % change for heart and 25.6% for spinal cord. The shifts in values respectively for CTV min, mean, max were -4.8%, 2.5%, 4%. The differences for lymphatic min, mean, max were 21.3%, 20.3%, -12.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most important thing is not the treatment plan quality, but its practicality. The treatment plan must be practical and its practice must be controlled rigidly.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology,Hatay Public Hospital, Hatay, Turkey E-mail : drronkyts@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yusuf Tolga
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Sanli
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cukurcayir
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abacigil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015182:Lymphatic Irradiation / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D058958:Organs at Risk / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*