Toxicity and cosmesis following partial breast irradiation consisting of 40 Gy in 10 daily fractions.

Abstract Purpose To assess the toxicity and cosmetic results in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant partial breast irradiation (PBI) to a total dose of 40 Gy in 10 daily fractions (4 Gy/fraction). Methods and materials Patients affected by early-stage breast cancer were enrolled in this phase II trial. Patients had to be 60 years old and treated with breast conservative surgery for early stage (pT1–T2 pN0–N1a) invasive ductal carcinoma. Results 77 patients were enrolled. Median follow-up was 18 months. The proposed schedule was well tolerated. One patient reported Grade 3 pain at the site of irradiation. Four (5%) patients experience Grade 2 erythema. Late Grade 2 and 1 fibrosis was observed in 3 (4%) and 14 (18%) patients, respectively. Cosmesis was judged “good/excellent” and “poor” in 75 (97%) and in 2 (3%) patients, respectively. Conclusions 40 Gy in 10 daily fractions, 4 Gy/fraction, is a well tolerated regimen to deliver PBI.