Postsurgical treatment of early-stage breast cancer with electronic brachytherapy: outcomes and health-related quality of life at 1 year.

OBJECTIVES

This multicenter registry followed up patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery and electronic brachytherapy (EBT). This report provides 1- and 2-year updates to the initial publication.

METHODS

Patients were of age 50 years or more with invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ, tumor size ≤3 cm, and negative surgical margins. After lumpectomy, patients received EBT in 10 fractions over 5 days (34 Gy total).

RESULTS

Of the 69 patients enrolled, 62 were evaluated at 1 year and 20 patients at 2 years after treatment. At 1 year, 28 (45.2%) patients reported adverse events that were possibly, probably, or definitely related to treatment. Most (90%) were grade 1: manageable and typical of radiation therapy. Four events were grade 2: induration/firmness (2), field contracture (1), and seroma (1). One event was grade 3: a draining fistula at the lumpectomy site due to residual effects of a breast infection at 1 month. No recurrences have been reported. Cosmetic ratings were excellent or good in 93.4% of patients at 1 year. Most patients (69%) were energetic most or all of the time. Most patients (69% to 98%) were not affected by individual symptoms of breast disease at 1 year. Generally patients who had an adverse event did not report the corresponding symptom on the quality-of-life questionnaire.

CONCLUSIONS

This registry followed up patients with early-stage breast cancer at 1 and 2 years after breast-conserving surgery and EBT. No recurrences have been reported, and adverse effects were acceptable.