UNLABELLED: Tangential radiotherapy for left-sided breast cancer may be cardiotoxic. Shaping the field with a heart block reduces cardiac exposure but may under-dose the breast and/or chest wall. We compared the incidence and location of local recurrences in patients irradiated with and without a heart block. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1994 and 1998, 180 patients irradiated to the left breast and/or chest wall were retrospectively reviewed. The local recurrence rates in patients treated with and without a heart block were compared using a 2-tailed Fisher exact test. An in-depth dosimetric analysis was performed in 23 patients to assess the percentage of breast tissue under-dosed by inclusion of the heart block. RESULTS: Overall, the local recurrence rates in patients with or without a heart block were similar. In postlumpectomy patients with inferiorly located tumors, the rates of local recurrence with and without a heart block were 2 of 6 patients versus 0 of 19 patients, respectively. In the dosimetric analysis, the average percentage of breast tissue under-dosed by the inclusion of a heart block was 2.8% (range, 0%-11%). DISCUSSION: A heart block is a reasonable method to limit cardiac dose but should be used cautiously following a lumpectomy in patients with inferiorly located tumors. Additional study with larger numbers of patients is warranted.
UNLABELLED: Tangential radiotherapy for left-sided breast cancer may be cardiotoxic. Shaping the field with a heart block reduces cardiac exposure but may under-dose the breast and/or chest wall. We compared the incidence and location of local recurrences in patients irradiated with and without a heart block. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1994 and 1998, 180 patients irradiated to the left breast and/or chest wall were retrospectively reviewed. The local recurrence rates in patients treated with and without a heart block were compared using a 2-tailed Fisher exact test. An in-depth dosimetric analysis was performed in 23 patients to assess the percentage of breast tissue under-dosed by inclusion of the heart block. RESULTS: Overall, the local recurrence rates in patients with or without a heart block were similar. In postlumpectomy patients with inferiorly located tumors, the rates of local recurrence with and without a heart block were 2 of 6 patients versus 0 of 19 patients, respectively. In the dosimetric analysis, the average percentage of breast tissue under-dosed by the inclusion of a heart block was 2.8% (range, 0%-11%). DISCUSSION: A heart block is a reasonable method to limit cardiac dose but should be used cautiously following a lumpectomy in patients with inferiorly located tumors. Additional study with larger numbers of patients is warranted.
Authors: Frank Lohr; Felix Heggemann; Theano Papavassiliu; Mostafa El-Haddad; Oliver Tomé; Dietmar Dinter; Barbara Dobler; Uta Kraus-Tiefenbacher; Martin Borggrefe; Frederik Wenz Journal: Strahlenther Onkol Date: 2009-04-16 Impact factor: 3.621
Authors: Hans Paul van der Laan; Wil V Dolsma; John H Maduro; Erik W Korevaar; Johannes A Langendijk Journal: Radiat Oncol Date: 2008-01-31 Impact factor: 3.481