Breast-conserving surgery in breast cancer and intraoperative radiotherapy. Can we predict the fibrosis?

INTRODUCTION

Radiotherapy techniques associated with breast-conserving surgery have evolved in early breast cancer thanks to a better knowledge of tumor radiobiology, highlighting intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT). However, complications have been documented with this procedure, mainly fibrosis. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a cytokine with an active role in radiation-induced fibrosis, which could be used as an early biomarker for the development of fibrosis.

METHODS

Multicentric prospective analysis of 60 patients with breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving surgery, 30 of whom had received additional IORT. TGF-β values were evaluated in serum pre-surgery and in serum collected 24h after surgery. In addition, we evaluated surgical wound fluids collected 6h and 24h following surgery.

RESULTS

Serum and surgical wound fluids TGF-β values collected over 24h following surgery were significantly higher in patients who received additional IORT (P<.0001). Notably, 8 of these patients showed values above 1,000pg/ml. There were no differences between the samples (serum or surgical wound fluids) (P=.5881).

CONCLUSIONS

Although further investigation is needed, higher TGF-β values in IORT during breast-conserving surgery can be used as an early biomarker for the development of fibrosis.