Tangential beam IMRT versus tangential beam 3D-CRT of the chest wall in postmastectomy breast cancer patients: a dosimetric comparison

• Published in: Radiation oncology (London, England) England), 2011-03, Vol.6 (1), p.26-26, Article 26
• Main Authors: Rudat, Volker, Alaradi, Abdul Aziz, Mohamed, Adel, Ai-Yahya, Khaled, Altuwaijri, Saleh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Breast Neoplasms - surgery; Cancer therapies; Cardiovascular disease; Care and treatment; Diagnosis; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Intensity-modulated radiotherapy; Mastectomy; Mastectomy, Segmental; Mortality; Organs at Risk; Radiation Dosage; Radiation therapy; Radiometry; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted - methods; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Radiotherapy, Conformal - instrumentation; Radiotherapy, Conformal - methods; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated - instrumentation; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated - methods; Retrospective Studies; Risk factors; Statistical analysis; Studies; Thoracic Wall - radiation effects
• ISSN: 1748-717X; 1748-717X
• DOI: 10.1186/1748-717x-6-26

This study evaluates the dose distribution of reversed planned tangential beam intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) compared to standard wedged tangential beam three-dimensionally planned conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) of the chest wall in unselected postmastectomy breast cancer patients For 20 unselected subsequent postmastectomy breast cancer patients tangential beam IMRT and tangential beam 3D-CRT plans were generated for the radiotherapy of the chest wall. The prescribed dose was 50 Gy in 25 fractions. Dose-volume histograms were evaluated for the PTV and organs at risk. Parameters of the dose distribution were compared using the Wilcoxon matched pairs test. Tangential beam IMRT statistically significantly reduced the ipsilateral mean lung dose by an average of 21% (1129 cGy versus 1437 cGy). In all patients treated on the left side, the heart volume encompassed by the 70% isodose line (V70%; 35 Gy) was reduced by an average of 43% (5.7% versus 10.6%), and the mean heart dose by an average of 20% (704 cGy versus 877 cGy). The PTV showed a significantly better conformity index with IMRT; the homogeneity index was not significantly different. Tangential beam IMRT significantly reduced the dose-volume of the ipsilateral lung and heart in unselected postmastectomy breast cancer patients.