Abstract
New strategies for adjuvant radiotherapy of early breast cancer are being investigated
in several phase III randomised trials at the present time. Accelerated partial breast
irradiation (APBI) is a way to offer an early breast cancer patient, who has had breast
conservative surgery, an adjuvant radiotherapy of short duration aimed at the tumour
bed with a certain margin. The rationale of this strategy is that most local recurrences
appear close to the tumorectomy cavity and a wish to spare the patient late radiation
morbidity. This review discusses the background for APBI, the different techniques,
and we highlight possible pitfalls using these techniques. A systematic overview of
all phase I and II studies is provided. Patient selection for this therapy is pivotal
and based on evidence from previous studies on patient/tumour characteristics and
pattern of local recurrences we propose inclusion criteria for patients in APBI protocols.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 10, 2008
Accepted:
August 13,
2008
Received in revised form:
August 8,
2008
Received:
May 5,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
