Radiation therapy planning with photons and protons for early and advanced breast cancer: an overview.

Postoperative radiation therapy substantially decreases local relapse and moderately reduces breast cancer mortality, but can be associated with increased late mortality due to cardiovascular morbidity and secondary malignancies. Sophistication of breast irradiation techniques, including conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy, has been shown to markedly reduce cardiac and lung irradiation. The delivery of more conformal treatment can also be achieved with particle beam therapy using protons.

Potential role of intensity-modulated photons and protons in the treatment of the breast and regional nodes.

Purpose: To investigate, using comparative treatment planning, the potential improvements that could result through the use of intensity-modulated photons (intensity-modulated radiation therapy [IMRT]) and protons for the locoregional treatment of complex-target breast cancer.

Methods And Materials: Using CT data from a breast cancer patient, treatment plans were computed using "standard" photon/electron, IMRT, and forward-planned proton techniques. A dose of 50 Gy was prescribed to the target volume consisting of the involved breast, internal mammary, supraclavicular, and axillary nodes.