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Updated: Apr 18, 2026
Proton Therapy Delivery and Its Clinical Application in Select Solid Tumor Malignancies
Published on: February 6, 2019
Intraoperative full-dose of partial breast irradiation with electrons delivered by standard linear accelerators for
Alfredo Carlos S D Barros1, Samir A Hanna2, Heloísa A Carvalho3
1Mastology Center, Hospital Sírio Libanês, Rua Dona Adma Jafet 91, 01308-050 São Paulo, SP, Brazil ; LIM 02, Discipline of Human Structural Topography, University of São Paulo Medical School, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo 455, 01246-903 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
Purpose. To assess feasibility, efficacy, toxicity, and cosmetic results of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) with electrons delivered by standard linear accelerators (Linacs) during breast conserving surgeries for early infiltrating breast cancer (BC) treatment. Materials and Methods. A total of 152 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (T ≤ 3.0 cm) at low risk for local relapses were treated. All had unicentric lesions by imaging methods and negative sentinel node. After a wide local excision, 21 Gy were delivered on the parenchyma target volume with electron beams. Local recurrences (LR), survival, toxicity, and cosmetic outcomes were analyzed. Results. The median age was 58.3 years (range 40-85); median follow-up was 50.7 months (range 12-101.5). There were 5 cases with LR, 2 cases with distant metastases, and 2 cases with deaths related to BC. The cumulative incidence rates of LR, distant metastases, and BC death were 3.2%, 1.5%, and 1.5%, respectively. Complications were rare, and the cosmetic results were excellent or good in most of the patients. Conclusions. IORT with electrons delivered by standard Linacs is feasible, efficient, and well tolerated and seems to be beneficial for selected patients with early infiltrating BC.
