Dosimetric Evaluation of Cardiac Structures on Left Breast Cancer Radiotherapy: Impact of Movement, Dose Calculation Algorithm and Treatment Technique.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed and leading cause of cancer-related deaths among females. The treatment of breast cancer with radiotherapy, albeit effective, has been shown to be toxic to the heart, resulting in an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease and associated fatalities.

Methods: In this study, we evaluated the impact of respiratory movement, treatment plans and dose calculation algorithm on the dose delivered to the heart and its substructures during left breast radiotherapy over a cohort of 10 patients.