Twelve-month follow-up results of a trial utilizing Axxent electronic brachytherapy to deliver intraoperative radiation therapy for early-stage breast cancer.

Background: Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) is emerging as a valid alternative to whole-breast radiation therapy (WBRT) in breast-conserving therapy (BCT) for early-stage breast cancer. Axxent electronic brachytherapy (EBX) is a form of portable, balloon-based APBI that utilizes an electronic source of kilovoltage irradiation delivery with minimal shielding requirements. As such, EBX becomes a logical and convenient modality for delivery of intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT).

Prospective multi-center trial utilizing electronic brachytherapy for the treatment of endometrial cancer.

Background: A modified form of high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy has been developed called Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy (EBT). EBT uses a kilovolt X-ray source and does not require treatment in a shielded vault or a HDR afterloader unit. A multi-center clinical study was carried out to evaluate the success of treatment delivery, safety and toxicity of EBT in patients with endometrial cancer.

Experience with an electronic brachytherapy technique for intracavitary accelerated partial breast irradiation.

Objectives: Phase IV study evaluated the safety and device performance of an electronic brachytherapy system (Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System) as adjuvant therapy for early-stage breast cancer.

Methods: Patients were > or =50 years of age and had completely resected invasive ductal carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ (<2.0 cm), with N0 M0 and negative microscopic margins of > or =1 mm.

Tomotherapy and multifield intensity-modulated radiotherapy planning reduce cardiac doses in left-sided breast cancer patients with unfavorable cardiac anatomy.

Purpose: For patients with left-sided breast cancers, radiation treatment to the intact breast results in high doses to significant volumes of the heart, increasing the risk of cardiac morbidity, particularly in women with unfavorable cardiac anatomy. We compare helical tomotherapy (TOMO) and inverse planned intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy using opposed tangents (3D-CRT) for reductions in cardiac volumes receiving high doses.

Methods And Materials: Fifteen patients with left-sided breast cancers and unfavorable cardiac anatomy, determined by a maximum heart depth (MHD) of >or=1.

A dosimetric analysis comparing treatment of low-risk prostate cancer with TomoTherapy versus static field intensity modulated radiation therapy.

Objectives: Static field intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has demonstrated dosimetric and clinical benefits over 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy. TomoTherapy is a unique form of IMRT that may offer further improvements.

Methods: The study population consisted of 15 patients with low-risk prostate cancer treated at Rush University with TomoTherapy (n = 7) or IMRT (n = 8).

Breast brachytherapy devices.

Multiple institutions have explored accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI). The method of APBI with the longest reported follow-up is multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy. Balloon brachytherapy was introduced to simplify the APBI procedure.

A virtual matching technique for three-field breast irradiation using 3-D planning.

Patients with breast cancer are often treated with radiation to the breast (or chest wall) and draining regional lymph nodes. This is typically performed with a three-field technique in which an anterior supraclavicular field is matched to opposed tangent fields. A single isocenter technique is not always possible.

Intraoperative radiation therapy in the treatment of early-stage breast cancer utilizing xoft axxent electronic brachytherapy.

Background: In an effort to overcome the barriers to BCT, alternative methods of delivering radiation therapy have been explored. APBI allows the radiation treatment to be accomplished in one week or less. XB is a form of balloon-based APBI that uses an electronic source generated by a mobile controller unit.

Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy: a new device for delivering brachytherapy to the breast.

Balloon-based brachytherapy was developed to simplify the brachytherapy technique and make accelerated partial breast irradiation more accessible to patients with breast cancer who are suitable candidates for this technique. Xoft Axxent (Xoft, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) electronic brachytherapy is a novel method of accelerated partial breast irradiation that uses an electronic source to produce X-rays.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation utilizing balloon brachytherapy techniques.

To overcome the barriers to BCT, methods of PBI in the setting of breast conservation have been explored. The method of PBI with the longest published follow-up is multi-catheter interstitial brachytherapy. Balloon-based brachytherapy with the MammoSite brachytherapy applicator was designed to simplify the brachytherapy procedure for PBI, enhance the reproducibility of the dosimetry, and improve patient comfort.

Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy.

Balloon-based brachytherapy was developed to render accelerated partial-breast irradiation more accessible to breast cancer patients. Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy (eBX) is a novel method of accelerated partial-breast irradiation that utilizes an electronic source to produce x-rays. eBX does not require a high dose rate afterloader unit or a shielded vault and, thus, may appeal to a larger number of patients undergoing the accelerated partial-breast irradiation procedure.

A dosimetric comparison of MammoSite and ClearPath high-dose-rate breast brachytherapy devices.

Purpose: A new form of partial breast irradiation (PBI), ClearPath (CP) breast brachytherapy, has been introduced. We present our results of a dosimetric comparison of MammoSite (MS) and CP PBI.

Methods And Materials: The dimensions of the CP device were reconstructed onto the MS planning CT scans for 15 previously treated patients.

A dosimetric comparison of Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy and iridium-192 high-dose-rate brachytherapy in the treatment of endometrial cancer.

Purpose: This analysis was undertaken to dosimetrically compare iridium-192 high-dose-rate brachytherapy (IB) and Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy (XB; Xoft Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) in the treatment of endometrial cancer.

Methods And Materials: The planning CT scans from 11 patients previously treated with IB were used to construct hypothetical treatment plans using the source characteristics of the XB device.

Case report and dosimetric analysis of an axillary recurrence after partial breast irradiation with mammosite catheter.

Partial breast irradiation (PBI) was designed in part to decrease overall treatment times associated with whole breast radiation therapy (WBRT). WBRT treats the entire breast and usually portions of the axilla. The goal of PBI is to treat a smaller volume of breast tissue in less time, focusing the dose around the lumpectomy cavity.

Cost of radiotherapy versus NSAID administration for prevention of heterotopic ossification after total hip arthroplasty.

Purpose: Heterotopic ossification (HO), or abnormal bone formation, is a common sequela of total hip arthroplasty. This abnormal bone can impair joint function and must be surgically removed to restore mobility. HO can be prevented by postoperative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use or radiotherapy (RT).

Patterns of failure after MammoSite brachytherapy partial breast irradiation: a detailed analysis.

Purpose: To report the results of a detailed analysis of treatment failures after MammoSite breast brachytherapy for partial breast irradiation from our single-institution experience.

Methods And Materials: Between October 14, 2002 and October 23, 2006, 78 patients with early-stage breast cancer were treated with breast-conserving surgery and accelerated partial breast irradiation using the MammoSite brachytherapy applicator. We identified five treatment failures in the 70 patients with >6 months' follow-up.

A dosimetric comparison of MammoSite high-dose-rate brachytherapy and Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy.

Purpose: Over 20,000 patients have been treated with partial breast irradiation (PBI) using the MammoSite balloon brachytherapy applicator (IBB). Recently, a new form of balloon-based PBI, Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy (KVB), which uses a 50-kV x-ray source, has been introduced. This analysis was undertaken to dosimetrically compare the results of treatment using these two methods of PBI.

Technology insight: MammoSite--a new device for delivering brachytherapy following breast-conserving therapy.

The MammoSite (Cytyc Corporation, Marlborough, MA) breast brachytherapy applicator was designed to overcome the logistic problems created by external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and the technical difficulties associated with multicatheter-based interstitial brachytherapy. The MammoSite catheter has been shown to treat a volume of tissue equivalent to that treated by multicatheter-based brachytherapy. Using ultrasound guidance, the MammoSite applicator can be placed using an open technique at the time of lumpectomy or post-lumpectomy.

A dosimetric comparison of three-dimensional conformal, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, and MammoSite partial-breast irradiation.

Purpose: Limited information is available comparing target volume and normal tissue dosimetry with the different techniques of partial breast irradiation (PBI). We present results of a dosimetric comparison of single catheter, balloon-based brachytherapy using the MammoSite catheter (BRT), 3D conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT), and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

Methods And Materials: Fifteen patients were treated using the BRT device.

The MammoSite breast brachytherapy device: targeted delivery of breast brachytherapy.

The MammoSite breast brachytherapy device was designed to overcome the logistic difficulties presented by external beam radiation therapy and the technical difficulties of multicatheter-based interstitial brachytherapy. The device consists of a silicone balloon connected to a catheter which contains an inflation channel and a port for passage of a high-dose-rate brachytherapy source. The American Brachytherapy Society and American Society of Breast Surgeons have published partial breast irradiation patient selection guidelines.

Radiochemotherapy in the management of pancreatic cancer--part II: use in adjuvant and locally unresectable settings.

Inherently, treating pancreatic adenocarcinoma with chemotherapy is limited by the marginal sensitivity of this tumor to available drugs and drug combinations. For radiotherapy, a similar therapeutic insensitivity is adversely combined with a compromised ability to escalate biologic dose within relevant target volumes because of an intertwining and surrounding matrix of dose-limiting critical normal organs and tissues. The need for effective adjuvant therapy has been intensified by an increase in the safety, applicability, and availability of surgical resection even though such resections remain largely inadequate for producing long-term disease-free survival.

Vaginal lymphatic channel location and its implication for intracavitary brachytherapy radiation treatment.

Purpose: In vaginal intracavitary brachytherapy using cylindrical applicators, it is common to prescribe dose to a depth of 0.5 cm to cover the lymphatic channels. However, the actual depth of the lymphatics within the vaginal wall has never been determined.

Cosmetic outcome and incidence of infection with the MammoSite breast brachytherapy applicator.

We present our results regarding the cosmetic outcome achieved and the rate of infection using the MammoSite breast brachytherapy applicator to treat patients with partial breast irradiation. In addition, factors associated with cosmetic outcome and infection are analyzed. The study population consisted of 30 patients with early stage breast cancer treated using the MammoSite device from October 28, 2002, to February 13, 2004.

The MammoSite breast brachytherapy applicator: a review of technique and outcomes.

The MammoSite breast brachytherapy device was designed to overcome the potential scheduling problems associated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and the technical difficulties of multi-catheter-based interstitial brachytherapy. The device consists of a silicone balloon connected to a catheter which contains an inflation channel and a port for passage of a high-dose-rate brachytherapy source. The American Brachytherapy Society and American Society of Breast Surgeons have published partial breast irradiation (PBI) patient selection guidelines.