The surgeon's role in breast brachytherapy.

Although two-thirds of invasive breast cancers and half of non-invasive breast cancers are amenable to lumpectomy, only about 70% of such patients choose breast conservation. Of that group, up to one-third do not follow-up with radiation therapy despite it being clinically indicated. The reasons include the patient's and surgeon's attitude toward breast conservation as well as the inconvenience and distance of a suitable radiation facility.

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.

Fine-needle aspiration of clinically suspicious palpable breast masses with histopathologic correlation.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of clinically suspicious palpable breast masses in women younger and older than 40 years of age.

Methods: All women who had FNA biopsy with subsequent tissue biopsy were included. The cytologic diagnoses were classified into three groups: malignant, suspicious, or benign.