Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the dosimetric benefits between intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and conventional radiotherapy (CR) among patients receiving breast-conserving surgery. A dosimetric comparison of IMRT and CR was evaluated in 20 patients with early-stage breast cancer using a three-dimensional treatment planning system. The prescribed mammary gland dose was completed in 25 fractions with a total dose of 5,000 cGy. Homogeneity of the planning target volume (PTV), irradiation dose and volume of organs at risk (OARs) were evaluated through a dose-volume histogram. For the homogeneity of PTV, the average volume receiving 95% of the prescribed dose in the IMRT plan was similar to that in the CR plan (97 vs. 96%, respectively). With regard to normal tissue sparing in OARs, the ipsilateral lung V20 in the IMRT and CR plans was 27.8 and 20.8%, respectively. The mean dose and V30 of the heart for five patients were 598.4 versus 348.3 cGy and 10.06 versus 5.3%, respectively. The mean dose sparing the heart or lung was markedly reduced in the IMRT plan compared with the CR plan. The results of the current study demonstrated that whole breast IMRT improves PTV dose distribution and improves normal tissue sparing in OARs.
Highlights
Breast‐conserving surgery may eradicate macroscopic diseases that have been detected and palpated in females with early‐stage breast cancer [1,2]
An adequate dose coverage of the mammary glands and lymph nodes in the intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and conventional radiotherapy (CR) plans was achieved in the majority of patients
The CR planning target volume (PTV) was 95% in the CR plan, as the partial PTV was located in a low‐dose region of the tangential fields
Summary
Breast‐conserving surgery may eradicate macroscopic diseases that have been detected and palpated in females with early‐stage breast cancer [1,2]. The administration of adjuvant radiotherapy following breast‐conserving surgery is effective in reducing the risk of locoregional recurrence and distant metastases in patients with early‐stage breast cancer [1,2]. Postoperative radiation treatment in patients with breast cancer is conventionally delivered using external beam radiation therapy, which is determined by rectangular tangential fields. With this radiotherapy technique, an appreciable dose within the irradiated volume may be administered, and the dose delivered to the lung and heart may be higher than predicted [3]. Whether intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is superior to traditional 3D radiation delivery remains unknown
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