Francois Campana, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Youlia Kirova, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Nathalie Fournier-Bidoz PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Pablo Castro Pena MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Alain Fourquet MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Electron-beam radiotherapy of the chest wall with or without lymph node irradiation has been used at the Institut Curie for twenty years now. The purpose of this article is to show the last improvements of our technique.

The study was split into two parts. A new electron radiation technique was designed and compared to the standard one (dosimetric study). Then the early toxicity of our new technique was evaluated prospectively in first 25 patients using RTOG criteria and reported (clinical study).

The maximum dose found on the 5 slices was 53.4 ±1.1 Gy for the new technique, and 59.1 ± 2.3 Gy for the standard technique. In the medial plane, the 20 Gy isodose was at 0.7 ± 0.3 cm from the sternum in the new technique, and 1.4 ± 0.3 cm in the standard plans. At the lateral border of sternum, the 20 Gy isodose was also deeper in the standard plans. To this day, 25 patients have been treated and studied. Three presented grade 0 (12%), 12 (48%) - gr 1, 8 - (32%) gr 2, and 2 (8%) gr 3 reaction.

Postmastectomy electron beam chest wall irradiation is well tolerated with low rate of toxicity evens. New developments could continue to improve the previously existed and used techniques with better dose distribution and decreasing the doses to lung and heart. This is a clinical step towards conformal electron therapy.

Campana, F, Kirova, Y, Fournier-Bidoz, N, Castro Pena, P, Fourquet, A, A New Step Towards Conformal Electron Therapy to the Chest Wall In Women With Breast Cancer.  Radiological Society of North America 2007 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2007 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2007/6000108.html