HDR brachytherapy combined with 3-D conformal vs. IMRT in left-sided breast cancer patients including internal mammary chain: comparative analysis of dosimetric and technical parameters.

Treatment of the internal mammary chain (IMC) with radiation therapy (RT) for patients with breast cancer remains a controversial issue. Different treatment techniques have been proposed, including oblique electrons, electron-photon combination, and partially wide tangents (PWTs). However, the residual heart dose can remain significant mainly for left-sided lesions.