Skip to main content

A Precise Approach for Radiotherapy of Breast Cancer

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 188))

Abstract

Radiotherapy is an integral part of the multidisciplinary management of breast cancer (BC). There have been multiple recent advances in the delivery of radiotherapy, reviewed with a critical discussion of the evidence from trials investigating adjuvant ultra-hypofractionation and partial breast irradiation for early-stage BC, and the locoregional management of lymph nodes in locally advanced BC. Multiple precision medicine-based approaches have been developed as prognostic and/or predictive for BC patients and identifying biomarkers of radioresistance could help identify patients that may benefit from dose-escalated radiotherapy or radiosensitizers. Radiotherapy after breast reconstruction is an area of current controversy in the field, and we evaluated the decision-making considerations in this situation. The oligometastatic state is an emerging field for many cancer sites based on recent trials investigating ablative radiotherapy for oligometastatic BC. This chapter is an overview of radiotherapy for BC, with a focus on recent advances in early-stage, locally advanced, and oligometastatic disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Halsted WS (1907) The results of radical operations for the cure of carcinoma of the breast. Ann Surg Oncol 46(1):1–19. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000658-190707000-00001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fisher B, Anderson S, Bryant J et al (2002) Twenty-year follow-up of a randomized trial comparing total mastectomy, lumpectomy, and lumpectomy plus irradiation for the treatment of invasive breast cancer. N Engl J Med 347(16):1233–1241. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa022152

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Giuliano AE, Hunt KK, Ballman KV et al (2011) Axillary dissection vs no axillary dissection in women with invasive breast cancer and sentinel node metastasis: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 305(6):569–575. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2011.90

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Donker M, van Tienhoven G, Straver ME et al (2014) Radiotherapy or surgery of the axilla after a positive sentinel node in breast cancer (EORTC 10981-22023 AMAROS): a randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase 3 non-inferiority trial. Lancet Oncol 15(12):1303–1310. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1470-2045(14)70460-7

  5. Group ST, Bentzen SM, Agrawal RK et al (2008) The UK standardisation of breast radiotherapy (START) trial A of radiotherapy hypofractionation for treatment of early breast cancer: a randomised trial. Lancet Oncol 9(4):331–341.https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(08)70077-9

  6. Group ST, Bentzen SM, Agrawal RK et al (2008) The UK standardisation of breast radiotherapy (START) trial B of radiotherapy hypofractionation for treatment of early breast cancer: a randomised trial. Lancet 371(9618):1098–1107https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60348-7

  7. Whelan TJ, Pignol JP, Levine MN et al (2010) Long-term results of hypofractionated radiation therapy for breast cancer. N Engl J Med 362(6):513–520. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0906260

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Veronesi U, Cascinelli N, Mariani L et al (2002) Twenty-year follow-up of a randomized study comparing breast-conserving surgery with radical mastectomy for early breast cancer. N Engl J Med 347(16):1227–1232. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa020989

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Strnad V, Ott OJ, Hildebrandt G et al (2016) 5-year results of accelerated partial breast irradiation using sole interstitial multicatheter brachytherapy versus whole-breast irradiation with boost after breast-conserving surgery for low-risk invasive and in-situ carcinoma of the female breast: a randomised, phase 3, non-inferiority trial. Lancet 387(10015):229–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00471-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Vicini FA, Cecchini RS, White JR et al (2019) Long-term primary results of accelerated partial breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery for early-stage breast cancer: a randomised, phase 3, equivalence trial. Lancet 394(10215):2155–2164. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32514-0

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Whelan TJ, Julian JA, Berrang TS et al (2019) External beam accelerated partial breast irradiation versus whole breast irradiation after breast conserving surgery in women with ductal carcinoma in situ and node-negative breast cancer (RAPID): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 394(10215):2165–2172. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32515-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Recht A (2020) Hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation: case closed? Am J Clin Oncol 38(31):3584–3586. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.20.02389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Owen JR, Ashton A, Bliss JM et al (2006) Effect of radiotherapy fraction size on tumour control in patients with early-stage breast cancer after local tumour excision: long-term results of a randomised trial. Lancet Oncol 7(6):467–471. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1470-2045(06)70699-4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Yarnold J, Ashton A, Bliss J et al (2005) Fractionation sensitivity and dose response of late adverse effects in the breast after radiotherapy for early breast cancer: long-term results of a randomised trial. Radiother Oncol 75(1):9–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2005.01.005

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Brunt AM, Haviland JS, Sydenham M et al (2020) Ten-year results of FAST: a randomized controlled trial of 5-fraction whole-breast radiotherapy for early breast cancer. Am J Clin Oncol 38(28):3261–3272. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.19.02750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Brunt AM, Wheatley D, Yarnold J et al (2016) Acute skin toxicity associated with a 1-week schedule of whole breast radiotherapy compared with a standard 3-week regimen delivered in the UK FAST-Forward trial. Radiother Oncol 120(1):114–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2016.02.027

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Sparano JA, Gray RJ, Makower DF et al (2018) Adjuvant chemotherapy guided by a 21-gene expression assay in breast cancer. N Engl J Med 379(2):111–121. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1804710

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Allemani C, Sant M, Weir HK et al (2013) Breast cancer survival in the US and Europe: a CONCORD high-resolution study. Int J Cancer 132(5):1170–1181. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.27725

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Meehan J, Gray M, Martínez-Pérez C et al (2020) Precision medicine and the role of biomarkers of radiotherapy response in breast cancer. Front Oncol 1:628. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.00628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Forker LJ, Choudhury A, Kiltie AE (2015) Biomarkers of tumour radiosensitivity and predicting benefit from radiotherapy. Clin Oncol 27(10):561–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clon.2015.06.002

  21. Antonini N, Jones H, Horiot JC et al (2007) Effect of age and radiation dose on local control after breast conserving treatment: EORTC trial 22881–10882. Radiother Oncol 82(3):265–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2006.09.014

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Bartelink H, Maingon P, Poortmans P et al (2015) Whole-breast irradiation with or without a boost for patients treated with breast-conserving surgery for early breast cancer: 20-year follow-up of a randomised phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol 16(1):47–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1470-2045(14)71156-8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Polgár C, Fodor J, Orosz Z et al (2002) Electron and high-dose-rate brachytherapy boost in the conservative treatment of stage I–II breast cancer first results of the randomized Budapest boost trial. Strahlenther Onkol 178(11):615–623. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-002-1053-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Romestaing P, Lehingue Y, Carrie C et al (1997) Role of a 10-Gy boost in the conservative treatment of early breast cancer: results of a randomized clinical trial in Lyon, France. J Clin Oncol 15(3):963–968. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.1997.15.3.963

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology (NCCN guidelines) (2021) National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Breast cancer version 8. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/breast.pdf

  26. Morrow M (2018) Management of the node-positive axilla in breast cancer in 2017: selecting the right option. JAMA Oncol 4(2):250–251. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2017.3625

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Giuliano AE, Ballman KV, McCall L et al (2017) Effect of axillary dissection vs no axillary dissection on 10-year overall survival among women with invasive breast cancer and sentinel node metastasis: the ACOSOG Z0011 (Alliance) randomized clinical trial. JAMA 318(10):918–926. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.11470

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Haussmann J, Corradini S, Nestle-Kraemling C et al (2020) Recent advances in radiotherapy of breast cancer. Radiat Oncol 15(1):71. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13014-020-01501-x

  29. Hennequin C, Bossard N, Servagi-Vernat S et al (2013) Ten-year survival results of a randomized trial of irradiation of internal mammary nodes after mastectomy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 86(5):860–866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2013.03.021

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Taylor C, Correa C, Duane FK et al (2017) Estimating the risks of breast cancer radiotherapy: evidence from modern radiation doses to the lungs and heart and from previous randomized trials. J Clin Oncol 35(15):1641–1649. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2016.72.0722

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Dodwell D, Taylor C, McGale P et al (2019) Abstract GS4-02: abstract GS4-02: regional lymph node irradiation in early stage breast cancer: an EBCTCG meta-analysis of 13,000 women in 14 trials. Cancer Res 79(4 Supplement):GS4-02. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.Sabcs18-gs4-02

  32. Rutgers E, Donker M, Poncet C, Straver M, Meijnen P, van de Velde C, van Tienhoven G et al (2019) Abstract GS4-01: radiotherapy or surgery of the axilla after a positive sentinel node in breast cancer patients: 10 year follow up results of the EORTC AMAROS trial (EORTC 10981/22023). Cancer Res 79(4 Supplement):GS4-01. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.Sabcs18-gs4-01

  33. Sávolt Á, Péley G, Polgár C et al (2017) Eight-year follow up result of the OTOASOR trial: the optimal treatment of the axilla-surgery or radiotherapy after positive sentinel lymph node biopsy in early-stage breast cancer: a randomized, single centre, phase III, non-inferiority trial. Eur J Surg Oncol 43(4):672–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejso.2016.12.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Whelan TJ, Olivotto IA, Parulekar WR et al (2015) Regional nodal irradiation in early-stage breast cancer. N Engl J Med 373(4):307–316. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1415340

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Poortmans PM, Collette S, Kirkove C et al (2015) Internal mammary and medial supraclavicular irradiation in breast cancer. N Engl J Med 373(4):317–327. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1415369

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. McGale P, Taylor C, Correa C et al (2014) Effect of radiotherapy after mastectomy and axillary surgery on 10-year recurrence and 20-year breast cancer mortality: meta-analysis of individual patient data for 8135 women in 22 randomised trials. Lancet 383(9935):2127–2135. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(14)60488-8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Krug D, Lederer B, Seither F et al (2019) Post-mastectomy radiotherapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer: a pooled retrospective analysis of three prospective randomized trials. Ann Surg Oncol 26(12):3892–3901. https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-019-07635-x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Ragaz J, Olivotto IA, Spinelli JJ et al (2005) Locoregional radiation therapy in patients with high-risk breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: 20-year results of the British Columbia randomized trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 97(2):116–126. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djh297

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Haviland JS, Mannino M, Griffin C et al (2018) Late normal tissue effects in the arm and shoulder following lymphatic radiotherapy: results from the UK START (standardisation of breast radiotherapy) trials. Radiother Oncol 126(1):155–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2017.10.033

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Wang SL, Fang H, Song YW et al (2019) Hypofractionated versus conventional fractionated postmastectomy radiotherapy for patients with high-risk breast cancer: a randomised, non-inferiority, open-label, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol 20(3):352–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(18)30813-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Parulekar WR, Berrang T, Kong I et al (2019) CCTG MA.39 tailor RT: a randomized trial of regional radiotherapy in biomarker low-risk node-positive breast cancer (NCT03488693). Am J Clin Oncol 37(15_suppl):TPS602. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.TPS602

  42. Mamounas EP, Bandos H, White JR et al (2019) NRG oncology/NSABP B-51/RTOG 1304: phase III trial to determine if chest wall and regional nodal radiotherapy (CWRNRT) post mastectomy (Mx) or the addition of RNRT to whole breast RT post breast-conserving surgery (BCS) reduces invasive breast cancer recurrence-free interval (IBCR-FI) in patients (pts) with pathologically positive axillary (PPAx) nodes who are ypN0 after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC). Am J Clin Oncol 37(15_suppl):TPS600-TPS. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.TPS600

  43. Cancer Control Alberta (2017) Clinical practice guideline BR-016 version 2: breast reconstruction following prophylactic or therapeutic mastectomy for breast cancer. https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/hp/cancer/if-hp-cancer-guide-br016-breast-reconstruction.pdf

  44. Bleicher RJ (2018) Timing and delays in breast cancer evaluation and treatment. Ann Surg Oncol 25(10):2829–2838. https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-018-6615-2

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Olivotto IA, Lesperance ML, Truong PT et al (2009) Intervals longer than 20 weeks from breast-conserving surgery to radiation therapy are associated with inferior outcome for women with early-stage breast cancer who are not receiving chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol 27(1):16–23. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2008.18.1891

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Vujovic O, Yu E, Cherian A et al (2006) Eleven-year follow-up results in the delay of breast irradiation after conservative breast surgery in node-negative breast cancer patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 64(3):760–764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2005.08.004

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Kuske RR, Schuster R, Klein E et al (1991) Radiotherapy and breast reconstruction: clinical results and dosimetry. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 21(2):339–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-3016(91)90780-8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Cheng HY, Liang JA (2020) Post-mastectomy radiotherapy between implant-based reconstruction and autologous flap reconstruction. Ther Radiol Oncol 4:1. https://doi.org/10.21037/tro.2020.01.01

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Gee HE, Bignell F, Odgers D et al (2016) In vivo dosimetric impact of breast tissue expanders on post-mastectomy radiotherapy. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 60(1):138–145. https://doi.org/10.1111/1754-9485.12403

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Hellman S, Weichselbaum RR (1995) Oligometastases. Am J Clin Oncol 13(1):8–10. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.1995.13.1.8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Possanzini M, Greco C (2018) Stereotactic radiotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. Breast 41:57–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2018.06.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Wong AC, Watson SP, Pitroda SP et al (2016) Clinical and molecular markers of long-term survival after oligometastasis-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Cancer 122(14):2242–2250. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.30058

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Lussier YA, Xing HR, Salama JK et al (2011) MicroRNA expression characterizes oligometastasis(es). PLoS ONE 6(12):e28650. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028650

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  54. Trovo M, Furlan C, Polesel J et al (2018) Radical radiation therapy for oligometastatic breast cancer: results of a prospective phase II trial. Radiother Oncol 126(1):177–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2017.08.032

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Milano MT, Katz AW, Zhang H et al (2019) Oligometastatic breast cancer treated with hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy: some patients survive longer than a decade. Radiother Oncol 131:45–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2018.11.022

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. David S, Tan J, Savas P et al (2020) Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) for bone only oligometastatic breast cancer: a prospective clinical trial. Breast 49:55–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2019.10.016

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Krug D, Vonthein R, Illen A et al (2021) Metastases-directed radiotherapy in addition to standard systemic therapy in patients with oligometastatic breast cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled multi-national and multi-center clinical trial (OLIGOMA). Clin Transl Radiat Oncol 28:90–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctro.2021.03.012

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fabio Ynoe Moraes .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Ethics declarations

SS and ST do not declare any conflicts of interest. MK has received honoraria from Knight Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi for outside work on unrelated projects and consulting work. FM has received honoraria from AstraZeneca and IASLC outside the submitted work, declares grants or contracts from CTAQ Queen’s University outside the current work, and has received consulting fees from Cancer em foco outside the submitted work.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Sigurdson, S., Thibodeau, S., Korzeniowski, M., Moraes, F.Y. (2023). A Precise Approach for Radiotherapy of Breast Cancer. In: Al Jarroudi, O., El Bairi, K., Curigliano, G. (eds) Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 188. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33602-7_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33602-7_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-33601-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-33602-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics