Role of partial breast irradiation compared with whole breast radiotherapy in early breast cancer

Our study summarizes the currently available randomized evidence regarding the role of partial breast irradiation (PBI) compared with whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) in early breast cancer. Partial breast irradiation is a promising technique which offers many advantages as therapeutic option in breast cancer patients. The take-home message of our study, which was a meta-analysis of 3 trials, is that PBI may be a safe and feasible technique for women with early breast cancer because it does not seem to jeopardize patient survival or distant metastasis. On the other hand, we found an increased risk for local and regional recurrences in PBI arm, a result which needs to be further addressed. Despite the number of limitations in our study, including limited randomized evidence, insufficiently powered studies, and a variety of breast irradiation techniques used, the results of our study enable us to conclude that partial breast irradiation is a safe alternative radiation technique in breast cancer patients but, awaiting further randomized evidence from ongoing large randomized controlled trials, whole breast radiotherapy remains gold standard technique

Bibliographic Reference:

Valachis A et al.: "Partial Breast Irradiation or Whole Breast Radiotherapy for Early Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials", Breast J. 2010 May:16(3):246-51

Antonis Valachis

Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Greece

Onkologkliniken Sörmland, Mälarjukhuset, Eskilstuna, Sweden