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. 2018 Nov 7;13(1):218.
doi: 10.1186/s13014-018-1160-5.

Acute radiodermatitis in modern adjuvant 3D conformal radiotherapy for breast cancer - the impact of dose distribution and patient related factors

Kai J Borm  1 , Maximilian Loos  2 , Markus Oechsner  1 , Michael C Mayinger  1 , Daniela Paepke  3 , Marion B Kiechle  3 , Stephanie E Combs  1   4   5 , Marciana N Duma  6   7   8
Affiliations

Acute radiodermatitis in modern adjuvant 3D conformal radiotherapy for breast cancer - the impact of dose distribution and patient related factors

Kai J Borm et al. Radiat Oncol. .

Abstract

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate skin toxicity during modern three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and to evaluate the importance of dose distribution and patient related factors.

Material and methods: This study comprises 255 patients with breast cancer treated with tangential three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) after breast conserving surgery between 03/2012 and 05/2017. The median prescribed dose was 50.4 Gy (range 50-50.4) and 92.2% of the patients received a sequential boost of 10-16 Gy. Adverse skin toxicities (according to CTCAE v. 4.03 and the occurrence of moist desquamations) were assessed at the end of treatment. The dose distribution in the skin (5 mm strip from the patient outline) and in the CTV was evaluated and correlated to the CTCAE scores and the occurrence of moist desquamation.

Results: 42.4% of the patients developed grade I, 55.7% grade II and 2% grade III skin toxicities. Moist desquamation was observed in 59 cases (23.1%). Dose distribution within the CTV and skin was homogenous with only small areas receiving 107% of the prescribed dose (median: 0.7 cm3) in the CTV and 105% (median 0.5 cm3) in the skin. On univariate analysis breast size as well as V107%(CTV), V105%(skin) and V80%(skin) correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with the incidence of skin toxicity. On multivariate analysis only V80%(skin) was confirmed as independent risk factor.

Conclusion: Modern tangential multi-field 3D-CRT allows a homogeneous dose distribution with similar skin toxicity as compared to studies performing IMRT. Dose distribution within the skin (V80%) might have a relevant impact on the severity of skin toxicity and the occurrence of moist desquamation.

Keywords: 3D-CRT; Breast cancer; Prognostic factors; Radiodermatitis; Skin.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The ethics committee of Klinikum rechts der Isar, TU München has approved this study.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Box Plot Diagrams for all significant factors on the occurrence of moist Desquamation. a Breast size; b Target volume that receives 107% of the prescribed dose to the whole breast; c Skin volume that receives 105% of the prescribed dose to the whole breast. d Skin volume that receives 80% of the prescribed dose to the whole breast
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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