Single-Institution Prospective Evaluation of Moderately Hypofractionated Whole-Breast Radiation Therapy With Simultaneous Integrated Boost With or Without Lymphatic Drainage Irradiation After Breast-Conserving Surgery

Abstract

We report treatment outcomes for patients who received adjuvant moderate hypofractionated whole-breast radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB-mhWBRT) after breast-conserving surgery. SIB-mhWBRT for patients with breast cancer was introduced in our department in July 2017. This prospective evaluation includes 424 consecutive patients treated with SIB-mhWBRT for stage I-III invasive breast cancer (n=391) and/or ductal carcinoma in situ (n=33) until December 2021. SIB-mhWBRT was applied with 40 Gy in 15 daily fractions over 3 weeks according to the START B trial, with an SIB dose to the tumor bed of 48 Gy according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 1005/UK-IMPORT-HIGH, delivered as 3-dinemsional conformal radiation therapy (RT; n=402), intensity modulated RT (n=4), or volumetric modulated arc therapy (n=18). The mean patient age was 60 years (range, 27-88). Since May 2018, patients with indications for lymphatic pathway RT were included (n=62). Baseline parameters and follow-up data were recorded and reported, including objective assessment of treatment-related outcomes and subjective patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Mean/median follow-up was 29/33 months (range, 2-60). Acute toxicity grade 0, 1, 2, and 3 was observed in 25.0%, 61.4%, 13.3%, and 0%, respectively, at the completion of RT. Data of 281, 266, 243, 172, and 58 patients were available for 6-month and 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year follow-up, respectively. Grade 2 late effects were identified in 8.5%, 6.0%, 4.9%, 2.2%, and 10.2% and grade 3 in 2.8%, 1.1%, 1.2%, 0%, and 0% of patients at 6-month and 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year follow-up, respectively. Medical treatment of breast edema was the only grade 3 late effect observed. PROM cosmesis results were evaluated as excellent-good, fair, and poor in 97.2%, 2.5%, and 0.4%; 96.5%, 3.1%, and 0.4%; 97.4%, 2.2%, and 0.4%; 97.5%, 2.5%, and 0%; and 96.5%, 3.5%, and 0.0% at 6 months and 1, 2, 3, and 4 years post-RT, respectively. For all patients, the 3-year overall, cancer-specific, and disease-free survival rates were 98.2%, 99.1%, and 95.9%, respectively. Three-year risk of any locoregional recurrence was 0.6%. No mortality or relapse was observed in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ. SIB-mhWBRT demonstrated very favorable side effect profiles and cosmesis/PROMs. Three-year results demonstrate excellent locoregional control. This short-term regimen offers substantial patient comfort and improves institutional efficacy.