Short Course Breast Radiotherapy

Book excerpt: This comprehensive handbook on the implementation of short course radiotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer is intended as an up-to-date resource for the clinician. The book opens with a series of chapters on underlying principles and diverse relevant topics, including pathologic anatomy of early-stage breast cancer, radiobiology of accelerated breast irradiation, quality assurance and radiation safety, surgical considerations in partial breast irradiation, and impact of oncoplastic surgery on adjuvant radiotherapy. Individual sections are then devoted to hypofractionated whole breast radiotherapy, accelerated partial breast irradiation, and intraoperative radiotherapy. Each section includes details of patient selection, physics, techniques, data, and toxicity. The reader is provided with clear guidance on the appropriate use of accelerated forms of adjuvant radiotherapy for treatment of early-stage breast cancer and on various emerging treatment approaches.