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Is Partial Breast Irradiation a Safe and Effective Treatment Approach for Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer?

  • Local-Regional Evaluation and Therapy (KK Hunt, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Breast-conserving therapy (BCT) represents the standard care in the management of early-stage breast cancer, because long-term outcomes with breast conservation are comparable with those of mastectomy. Adjuvant radiation therapy remains an essential component of BCT with standard techniques requiring 5–6½ weeks. Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) is a technique developed over the past two decades that enables completion of treatment in one week or less. Review of the expanding literature reveals increasing support for APBI using several techniques, including interstitial brachytherapy, balloon-based brachytherapy, and external beam therapy. Novel treatment strategies, including intraoperative radiation therapy, hypofractionated APBI, and proton therapy, require further results before definitive conclusions can be made. Although there is currently a lack of level I evidence, with the pending publication of multiple phase III trials comparing whole-breast irradiation and APBI, modern treatment incorporating APBI should soon be developed.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Disclosure

C. Shah: compensation for travel and accommodation from Cianna Medical; J.B. Wilkinson: compensation for travel and accommodation from Cianna Medical; H. Saini: none; A. Nanavati: none; D. Arthur: none; T. Julian: none; L. Cuttino: none; S. Badiyan: none; F. Vicini: none.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, USA

    Chirag Shah, Harkiran Saini & Shahed Badiyan

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, William Beaumont Hospital, 3601 W. 13 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI, USA

    J. Ben Wilkinson

  3. Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA

    Anish Nanavati

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Douglas Arthur & Laurie Cuttino

  5. Department of Surgery, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Thomas Julian

  6. Michigan Healthcare Professionals/21st Century Oncology, 28595 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills, MI, 48334, USA

    Frank Vicini

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  1. Chirag Shah
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  9. Frank Vicini
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Correspondence to Frank Vicini.

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Shah, C., Wilkinson, J.B., Saini, H. et al. Is Partial Breast Irradiation a Safe and Effective Treatment Approach for Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer?. Curr Breast Cancer Rep 5, 152–159 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-013-0102-3

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