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Review
. 2012 Feb 1;17(2):66-70.
doi: 10.1016/j.rpor.2011.10.003.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy for early breast cancer: Review of phase III studies

Agata Kacprowska  1 , Jacek Jassem  1
Affiliations
Review

Hypofractionated radiotherapy for early breast cancer: Review of phase III studies

Agata Kacprowska et al. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. .

Abstract

Breast-conserving surgery including whole breast irradiation has long been a recommended procedure for early breast cancer. However, conventionally fractionated radiotherapy requires a lengthy hospitalisation or prolonged commuting to a hospital for radiotherapy. In recent years, hypofractionated radiotherapy has increasingly been used. This method involves higher fraction doses (above 2 Gy) as compared to conventional radiotherapy, so the total dose can be delivered in fewer fractions and in a shorter overall treatment time. This review aims at presenting most important outcomes of four randomised studies comparing conventional and hypofractionated radiotherapy schemes including a total of 7000 patients. These studies have not shown apparent differences in treatment efficacy, incidence of late post-radiotherapy complications or cosmetic effects during a 5-10 year follow-up, but longer observation is warranted to fully evaluate the safety of this method. Currently, major societies consider modestly hypofractionated radiotherapy schemes as a routine management in selected groups of patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery. However, this method should be used cautiously in patients with lymph node metastases, big breasts, receiving chemotherapy or trastuzumab, or those under 50 years of age.

Keywords: Adjuvant radiotherapy; Breast cancer; Hypofractionated radiotherapy.

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