Partial breast irradiation for locally recurrent breast cancer within a second breast conserving treatment: alternative to mastectomy? Results from a prospective trial.

Purpose: To assess the outcome of multi-catheter pulse dose rate (PDR) brachytherapy of re-irradiation for local ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence (IBTR) in regard to local control, survival, morbidity and quality of life (QoL).

Patients And Methods: Between 1999 and 2006, 39 patients were included with histologically confirmed IBTR, Karnofsky index ≥80% and refusal of mastectomy. Exclusion criteria were multicentric invasive growth pattern, unclear surgical margins, distant metastasis and a postoperative breast not suitable for interstitial brachytherapy.