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Early stage breast cancer conserving treatment: High dose rate brachytherapy boost to the tumour bed

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Abstract

Introduction

The dose administered to the tumour bed is a risk-factor for local recurrence in localised breast cancer following breast-conserving surgery.

Materials and Methods

All patients (n=94) received 50 Gy external beam radiotherapy and one application of 700 cGy at 85% isodose with high dose rate brachytherapy.

Results

Of the cases, 84% were infiltrating ductal carcinoma; 31.2% were G3; 28% were intraductal component >25%; 54% had margin <1 cm or unknown. With a mean follow-up of 65 months (range: 36–107 months), the overall actuarial survival at 5 and 8 years was 93.2% and 84.2%, respectively; disease-free survival was 88.3% and 84.6%, respectively; local control was 92.2% and 88.75%, respectively. Local recurrence rate was 5.3%, and distant dissemination rate was 8.5%. Among the risk-factors analysed, only the presence of 4 or more lymph node involvement implied a higher risk for local recurrence (p=0.0001). For distant dissemination, the risk-factors were: 4 or more lymph nodes involved (p=0.0001), G3 (p=0.029), tumour >3 cm (p=0.001), irradiation volume with external beam radiotherapy (p=0.0001), and presence of local recurrence (p=0.001).

Conclusion

High dose rate brachytherapy is an effective method for reducing local recurrence, and increasing local control.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Oncología Radioterápica, Hospital Central de la Defensa, C/Glorieta del Ejército s/n, 28047 Madrid. Spain, Madrid, Spain

    María Concepción López Carrizosa, Pilar María Samper Ots, Carmen Vallejo Ocaña, Aurora Rodríguez Pérez, Juan de Dios Sáez Garrido & José María Delgado Pérez

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  1. María Concepción López Carrizosa
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  2. Pilar María Samper Ots
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Correspondence to María Concepción López Carrizosa.

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Carrizosa, M.C.L., Ots, P.M.S., Ocaña, C.V. et al. Early stage breast cancer conserving treatment: High dose rate brachytherapy boost to the tumour bed. Clin Transl Oncol 7, 344–350 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02716550

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02716550

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