Three-year outcomes of breast intensity-modulated radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost

To report our clinical experience using breast intensity-modulated radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB-IMRT).

Retrospective review identified 354 Stage 0 to III breast cancer patients treated with SIB-IMRT after conservative surgery between 2003 and 2006. The most common fractionation (89%) simultaneously delivered 1.8 Gy to the ipsilateral breast tissue and 2.14 Gy to the resection cavity, yielding a breast dose of 45 Gy (25 fractions) and cavity dose 59.92 Gy (28 fractions), biologically equivalent for tumor control to 45 Gy to the breast with sequential 16-Gy boost (33 fractions).

A total of 356 breasts in 354 patients were treated: 282 with invasive breast cancer, and 74 with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). For left breast radiation, median cardiac V(15) was 2.9% and left ventricular V(15) 1.7%. Median follow-up was 33 months (range, 4-73 months). Acute toxicity was Grade 1 in 57% of cases, Grade 2 in 43%, and Grade 3 in <1%. For invasive breast cancer, the 3-year overall survival was 97.6% and risk of any locoregional recurrence was 2.8%. For ductal carcinoma in situ, 3-year overall survival was 98% and risk of locoregional recurrence 1.4%. In 142 cases at a minimum of 3 years follow-up, global breast cosmesis was judged by physicians as good or excellent in 96.5% and fair in 3.5%.

Breast SIB-IMRT reduced treatment duration by five fractions with a favorable acute toxicity profile and low cardiac dose for left breast treatment. At 3 years, locoregional control was excellent, and initial assessment suggested good or excellent cosmesis in a high percentage of evaluable patients.