Long-Term Breast Cancer Patient Outcomes After Adjuvant Radiotherapy Using Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy or Conventional Tangential Radiotherapy

The aim of the article is to analyze breast cancer patient clinical outcomes after long-term follow-up using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or conventional tangential radiotherapy (cRT). We retrospectively reviewed patients with stage 0–III breast cancer who received breast conserving therapy between April 2004 and December 2007. Of the 234 patients, 103 (44%) were treated with IMRT and 131 (56%) were treated with cRT. A total prescription dose of 45 to 50 Gy (1.8–2 Gy per fraction) was delivered to the whole breast. A 14 Gy boost dose was delivered in 7 fractions. The median follow-up was 8.2 years. Five of 131 (3.8%) cRT-treated patients and 2 of 103 (1.9%) IMRT-treated patients had loco-regional failure. The 8-year loco-regional failure-free survival rates were 96.7% and 97.6% (P = 0.393) in the cRT and IMRT groups, respectively, whereas the 8-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 91.2% and 93.1%, respectively (P = 0.243). Patients treated with IMRT developed ≥ grade 2 acute dermatitis less frequently than patients treated with cRT (40.8% vs 56.5%; P = 0.017). There were no differences in late toxicity. IMRT reduces ≥ grade 2 acute skin toxicity. Local control, DFS, and overall survival were equivalent with IMRT and cRT. IMRT can be considered a standard technique for breast cancer treatment.