Comparison of supine or prone crawl photon or proton breast and regional lymph node radiation therapy including the internal mammary chain

Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 18;9(1):4755. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-41283-1.

Abstract

We report on a dosimetrical study comparing supine (S) and prone-crawl (P) position for radiotherapy of whole breast (WB) and loco-regional lymph node regions, including the internal mammary chain (LN_IM). Six left sided breast cancer patients were CT-simulated in S and P positions and four patients only in P position. Treatment plans were made using non-coplanar volumetric modulated arc photon therapy (VMAT) or pencil beam scanning intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT). Dose prescription was 15*2.67 Gy(GyRBE). The average mean heart doses for S or P VMAT were 5.6 or 4.3 Gy, respectively (p = 0.16) and 1.02 or 1.08 GyRBE, respectively for IMPT (p = 0.8; p < 0.001 for IMPT versus VMAT). The average mean lung doses for S or P VMAT were 5.91 or 2.90 Gy, respectively (p = 0.002) and 1.56 or 1.09 GyRBE, respectively for IMPT (p = 0.016). In high-risk patients, average (range) thirty-year mortality rates from radiotherapy-related cardiac injury and lung cancer were estimated at 6.8(5.4-9.4)% or 3.8(2.8-5.1)% for S or P VMAT (p < 0.001), respectively, and 1.6(1.1-2.0)% or 1.2(0.8-1.6)% for S or P IMPT (p = 0.25), respectively. Radiation-related mortality risk could outweigh the ~8% disease-specific survival benefit of WB + LN_IM radiotherapy for S VMAT but not P VMAT. IMPT carries the lowest radiation-related mortality risks.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Breast / pathology
  • Breast / radiation effects
  • Breast / surgery
  • Female
  • Heart / radiation effects
  • Humans
  • Lung / radiation effects
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymph Nodes / radiation effects
  • Mastectomy, Segmental
  • Organs at Risk / radiation effects
  • Photons / adverse effects
  • Photons / therapeutic use*
  • Prone Position
  • Proton Therapy / adverse effects
  • Proton Therapy / methods*
  • Radiometry
  • Radiotherapy / adverse effects*
  • Radiotherapy / mortality
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk
  • Unilateral Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Unilateral Breast Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Unilateral Breast Neoplasms / surgery