A Single-Site Retrospective, Nonrandomized Study of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation Brachytherapy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer Treatment to Evaluate Local Tumor Control, Cosmetic Outcome, and Toxicities.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the accelerated partial breast irradiation brachytherapy with a combination of applicators at a community hospital cancer center.

Methods And Materials: Between 2005 and 2009, 120 patients with early-stage breast cancer were being followed after treatment with accelerated partial breast irradiation brachytherapy using MammoSite, single or multilumen balloon, or Contura multilumen balloon. After their lumpectomy surgery, each patient was treated with Ir-192 high-dose rate unit following radiation therapy oncology group 0413 guidelines.

Variation in small bowel length: factor in achieving total enteroscopy?

Background And Aim: Estimation of small bowel length is of interest following the recent development of device-assisted enteroscopy. This new technology allows access to the deep small bowel, but rates of examination of the entire small bowel (total enteroscopy) differ between study populations. Variation in small bowel length could factor into this observed irregularity in total enteroscopy rates.