Hypofractionated whole breast irradiation after IORT treatment is safe in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy

Abstract

Hypofractionated whole breast irradiation (hWBI) and intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) could be associated in breast cancer patients showing high-risk factors of local recurrence after breast conserving therapy (BSC). The aim of this trial was to evaluate, for the first time, the toxicity and cosmesis of hWBI after photon-IORT in high-risk patients treated by adjuvant chemotherapy. Thirty-one high-risk localized breast cancer patients treated by BCS, IORT (20 Gy), and adjuvant chemotherapy were included from February 2019 to August 2020 in this prospective trial, of hWBI (40.5 Gy/2.67 Gy/15 fractions). Acute and late toxicity (CTCAEv5.0) and cosmesis (Harvard scale), were assessed after treatment. All patients completed their treatment and were evaluable after treatment. No patients showed severe (G3) acute/late toxicity. Excellent/good cosmesis at least 6 months after completing the treatment, was present in 93.6% of the patients. hWBI in high-risk localized breast cancer patients treated by chemotherapy seems to have similar toxicity and cosmetic results than conventionally fractionated WBI in combination to photon-IORT after BCS.