Impact of technique and schedule of reirradiation plus hyperthermia on outcome after surgery for patients with recurrent breast cancer

Oldenborg, Sabine; van Os, Rob; Oei, Bing; Poortmans, Philip

doi:10.3390/CANCERS11060782

Title

Impact of technique and schedule of reirradiation plus hyperthermia on outcome after surgery for patients with recurrent breast cancer

Author

Oldenborg, Sabine

van Os, Rob

Oei, Bing

Poortmans, Philip

Abstract

Purpose: Combining reirradiation (reRT) with hyperthermia (HT) has shown to be of high therapeutic value for patients with loco-regionally recurrent breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term therapeutic effect and toxicity of reRT + HT following surgery of loco-regionally recurrent breast cancer using two different reRT regimens. Methods: The reRT regimen of the 78 patients treated in Institute A consisted of 8 x 4 Gy twice a week using mostly abutted photon-electron fields. The 78 patients treated in Institute B received a reRT regimen of 12 x 3 Gy, four times a week with single or multiple electron fields. Superficial hyperthermia was applied once a week in Institute A and twice a week in Institute B. Both institutes started HT treatment within 1 hour after reRT and used the same 434-MHz systems to heat the tumor area to 41-43 degrees C. Results: The 5-year-infield local control (LC) rates were similar; however, the 5-year-survival rates were 13% lower in Institute A. Most remarkable was the difference in risk with respect to 5-year > grade 3 toxicity, which was more than twice as high in Institute A. Conclusion: The combination of reirradiation and hyperthermia after macroscopically complete excision of loco-regional breast cancer recurrences provides durable local control in patients at risk for locoregional recurrent breast cancer. Treatment is well tolerated with the 12 x 3 Gy schedule with limited-sized electron fields.

Language

English

Source (journal)

Cancers

Publication

2019

ISSN

2072-6694

DOI

10.3390/CANCERS11060782

Volume/pages

11 :6 (2019) , 11 p.