Radiotherapy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Radiotherapy, including details on cancer treatment, side effects.

Placement technique and the early complications of balloon breast brachytherapy: Magee-Womens Hospital experience.

Soran A, Evrensel T, Beriwal S, Mogus R, Keenan D, Kelley JL, Balkan M, Harlak A, Bonaventura MA, Johnson R, Falk JS

Department of Surgery, Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. asoran@magee.edu

BACKGROUNDS AND OBJECTIVES: Open (OT) and percutaneous closed (PCT) techniques have been described for placement of the MammoSite catheter to deliver accelerated partial breast brachytherapy. We report early complications of both techniques. METHODS: A total of 125 patients underwent catheter placement for MammoSite high-dose rate brachytherapy, with 108 patients successfully completing treatment. The OT was used in 85 patients and PCT in 40 patients. The mean distance between the balloon surface and breast skin was 1.44 cm and 1.31 cm, respectively. Average skin dose was 278 cGy in the OT group and 295 cGy in the PCT group (P > 0.05). Average gross specimen size was 43.16 cm3 in the OT group and 62.19 cm3 in the PCT group. Median follow-up was 11 months for the OT group and 5 months for the PCT group. RESULTS: In 17 cases, the catheter was subsequently removed without the patient completing treatment. Two of the patients in the OT group (3%) developed a delayed abscess. The overall incidence of persistent seroma (>6 months) was 20% with all occurring in the OT group, 30% of those patients. There were no acute skin toxicities higher than grade 2. The overall cosmesis is excellent or good in 95% of patients.CONCLUSION: Despite short follow-up and a small sample size in this study, it seems that the MammoSite brachytherapy was well tolerated by patients with early stage breast cancer when using either the OT or PCT.

Published 6 April 2007 in Am J Clin Oncol, 30(2): 152-5.
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