Heart-sparing radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer: What are the techniques used in the clinical routine?: A pattern of practice survey in the German-speaking countries.
|
| Abstract |
The aim of this study was to understand the practice of care in German-speaking countries with regard to heart-sparing radiotherapy techniques. Between August 2015 and September 2015, an e-mail/fax-based survey was sent to radiation oncology departments in Germany, Austria, and the German-speaking Switzerland. The questionnaire was divided into 3 chapters: a general chapter on the department, a chapter specific for heart-sparing techniques in patients with breast cancer, and a third chapter on personal beliefs on the topic of heart sparing in patients with breast cancer. A total of 82 radiation oncology departments answered the questionnaire: 16 university clinics and 66 other departments. In general, heart-sparing techniques are being offered by 90.2% of departments for radiation oncology in the German-speaking countries. However, in the clinical routine, 87.7% of institutions use heart-sparing techniques in less than 50% of patients with breast cancer. Heart-sparing techniques are especially provided for patients with left-sided breast cancer (80%), patients after mastectomy (52.5%), and when the mammaria interna lymph drainage vessels are irradiated (41.3%). In 46.3% of departments, there are written internal guidelines for heart sparing in patients with breast cancer. Breathing-adapted radiotherapy is used as the most frequent heart-sparing technique in 64.7% of the institutions, followed by intensity-modulated radiation therapy, which is most frequently used by 22.1%. The only significant difference between university hospitals and other departments was seen for the offering of partial breast irradiation. The most commonly used heart-sparing technique is breathing-adapted radiotherapy, but there is no coherent approach for heart sparing in patients with breast cancer in the German-speaking countries. Overall, all options for cardiac protection/cardiac avoidance have their advantages and disadvantages, with deep inspiration breath-hold radiotherapyhaving the most clear data, which should be the preferred choice when using heart-sparing techniques.
|
|---|---|
| Authors | Marciana-Nona Duma, Stefan Münch, Markus Oechsner, Stephanie E Combs |
| Journal | Medical dosimetry : official journal of the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists (Med Dosim) 2017 Autumn Vol. 42 Issue 3 Pg. 197-202 ISSN: 1873-4022 [Electronic] United States |
| PMID | 28502653 (Publication Type: Journal Article) |
| Copyright | Copyright © 2017 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
| Topics |
|
Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!