Accelerated partial breast irradiation with perioperative multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy-A feasibility...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiation Oncology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) is an option for selected early breast cancer patients.
• Perioperative brachytherapy offers a single-session treatment approach.
• Minimally invasive techniques are crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing treatment burden.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of high-dose-rate perioperative multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy for APBI.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of this technique in early breast cancer patients.
• To determine if this approach can reduce overall treatment time and patient inconvenience.

Main Methods:

• 125 patients with early breast cancer were scheduled for APBI.
• Interstitial catheters were inserted perioperatively after tumorectomy and sentinel node biopsy.
• APBI delivered 34 Gy in 10 fractions (3.4 Gy bid) starting on postoperative Day 6.
• Hormonal therapy was administered to all patients.

Main Results:

• APBI was successfully performed in 113 out of 125 patients (90.4%).
• Low rates of acute complications were observed: wound dehiscence (1.8%), inflammatory complications (6.2%), radiodermatitis (4.4%), and seroma (2.7%).
• With a median follow-up of 39 months, no relapses occurred.
• Excellent or good cosmetic outcomes were reported in 92% of patients with over 2 years of follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Perioperative multicatheter interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy is a feasible treatment for APBI in selected early breast cancer patients.
• This technique significantly reduces treatment duration and avoids repeat anesthesia.
• It allows for precise radiation delivery under direct visual control during surgery.