Survey of radiotherapy planning and treatment of the supraclavicular fossa in breast cancer.

A survey of radiation oncologists (RO) in Australia and New Zealand was undertaken to determine how they would plan and treat the supraclavicular fossa (SCF) in women with breast cancer. From the 259 surveys sent in February to March 2007 there were 168 responses (65%) and 124 of these were from RO who managed breast cancer. The study demonstrated a wide variation in placement of the SCF field and differences in the treatment prescription. With widespread availability of CT for simulation it would be worthwhile to explore the routine voluming of SCF lymph nodes (LN) to ensure the radiation field is accurately determined and targeted. This would also allow more individualized prescription parameters and overcome the variation in the ICRU dose point found in the present survey.