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Purpose: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become a widely accepted staging procedure for both breast carcinoma and melanoma. The aim of our study was to systematically review different SLNB techniques and perform a meta-analysis for corresponding identification and false-negative rates. Methods: A systematic review of the literature on SLNB in patients with early stage breast carcinoma and melanoma was performed. Only original study groups were included. The SLN identification rate and false negative rate were pooled for patients with breast carcinoma or melanoma according to radiocolloid tracer, blue dye, indocyanine green (ICG), or a combination of a radiocolloid tracer with blue dye or ICG. Results: Between 1992 and 2012, a total of 154 studies (88 breast carcinoma and 66 melanoma) were reported that met our eligibility criteria. These studies included a total of 44,172 patients. The pooled SLN identification rate in breast carcinoma and melanoma patients using solely blue dye was 85% (range: 65-100%) and 84% (range: 59-100%), while for radiocolloid alone it was 94% (range: 67-100%) and 99% (range: 83-100%), respectively. Using a combination of radiocolloid and blue, identification rates were 95% (range 94-95%) and 98% (range: 98-98%). Conclusions: The current meta-analysis provides data that favors the use of radiocolloid or radiocolloid combined with a blue dye for SLN identification. Perfoiming SLNB with radiocolloid alone is the technique of choice for experienced surgeons, since blue dye has multiple disadvantages. SLNB using ICG as a fluorescent dye seems a promising technique for the near future. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surgery for early stage breast carcinoma is either total mastectomy (complete breast removal) or surgical lumpectomy (only tumor removal). The lumpectomy or partial mastectomy is intended to preserve a breast that satisfies the woman's cosmetic, emotional and physical needs. But in a fairly large number of cases the cosmetic outcome is not satisfactory. Today, predicting that surgery outcome is essentially based on heuristic. Modeling such a complex process must encompass multiple scales, in space from cells to tissue, as well as in time, from minutes for the tissue mechanics to months for healing. The goal of this paper is to present a first step in multiscale modeling of the long time scale prediction of breast shape after tumor resection. This task requires coupling very different mechanical and biological models with very different computing needs. We provide a simple illustration of the application of heterogeneous distributed computing and modular software design to speed up the model development. Our computational framework serves currently to test hypothesis on breast tissue healing in a pilot study with women who have been elected to undergo BCT and are being treated at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX.

Purpose To report the long-term outcomes for women presenting with regional lymph node recurrence after breast conservation treatment with radiotherapy for Stage I and II invasive breast carcinoma. Methods and Materials Of the women with pathologic Stage I and II invasive breast carcinoma treated with breast conservation treatment at the University of Pennsylvania, 29 developed regional nodal recurrence as their first site of failure. An analysis of the patterns of regional nodal recurrence and their prognosis after recurrence was undertaken. The median follow-up from regional nodal recurrence was 5.4 years. Results The pattern of regional nodal recurrence was as follows: 14 (48%) with simultaneous local and axillary recurrence, 7 (24%) with recurrence in the axilla only, 5 (17%) with recurrence in the supraclavicular region only, and 3 (10%) with multiple nodal sites of recurrence. For the entire study group, the 5-, 10-, and 15-year overall survival rate was 70%, 37%, and 28%, respectively. The 10-year overall survival rate for patients with locoregional recurrence was 32% compared with 45% for patients with regional-only recurrence (p = 0.50). The 10-year overall survival rate for patients with axillary recurrence discovered on pathologic examination of the mastectomy specimen was 31% compared with 42% for patients with palpable regional lymphadenopathy (p = 0.83). Conclusion Patients with regional nodal recurrence after breast conservation treatment with radiotherapy for early-stage breast carcinoma are potentially salvageable. The prognosis after regional nodal recurrence was not significantly different when stratified by the presence or absence of simultaneous in-breast recurrence or the method of detection.

SummaryAims and BackgroundThis study of high-dose-rate brachytherapy to the lumpectomy site as the sole radiation presents longer-term results and toxicity of accelerated partial-breast irradiation, using three-dimensional treatment planning.Materials and MethodsFrom March 2002 to July 2004, 25 patients were prospectively included in this study. Six patients were excluded because of definitive histology of lobular carcinoma or positive margin. The median age at the time of treatment was 63.2 years (range 44–77 years). Median follow-up of all patients was 44 months (range 30–53 months) with a minimum follow-up of 30 months. Radiation was delivered using the high-dose-rate remote afterloader VariSource with 192Ir source. The patients received radiation twice a day at least 6 hours apart for a total of 10 fractions over five days with a single dose of 3.4 Gy. The total dose was 34.0 Gy prescribed as a minimum peripheral dose to match or minimally exceed the volume defined by the surgical clips as seen on computed-tomography (CT) scans. Free-hand technique allows conformal placement of the catheters to the shape of the lumpectomy cavity. Side-effects and toxicity were scored using the EORTC/RTOG scale.ResultsAt a median follow-up of 44 months none of the women had developed in-field breast recurrences, one patient had out-of-field recurrences and one patient presented distant metastases. There were no regional nodal recurrences. In each woman, target volume size in cm3 (median 91.3 cm3), dose volume histogram (DVH), and dose homogeneity index (DHI) were calculated. Median DHI was 0.42. Median volume of breast tissue receiving 100% of the prescription dose, V100, was 87%; and V150 48.5%. We noticed two treatment complications: haematoma and abscess in the place of the tumour bed after extirpation. At last follow-up, all patients rated the overall cosmetic outcome as excellent or good.ConclusionsThis method is suitable only for patients with histologically confirmed small tumours (

For the woman with newly diagnosed early stage breast carcinoma undergoing breast conservation treatment, definitive radiation treatment is delivered after breast conservation surgery. While the importance of the technical approach to breast conservation surgery is widely appreciated, the technical skill for radiation treatment is also critical to maximize local-regional control and to minimize toxicity. Recent advances have dramatically improved technical radiation treatment planning and delivery. The radiation treatment technique must be integrated with the surgical procedure performed, the pathology findings, and the systemic treatment delivered. The radiation treatment technique also must coordinate with newer treatment approaches in surgery (e.g., sentinel lymph node biopsy) and systemic therapy (e.g., neoadjuvant systemic therapy, agents with potential cardiac toxicity). To maximize long-term outcome, a sound approach to the technical radiation treatment is an integral component of the combined modality treatment for the patient with early stage breast carcinoma.

Purpose: To determine the accuracy of using the lumpectomy scar, specifically the midpoint or center of the scar, to define the tumor bed in the electron beam boost for the treatment of early stage breast carcinoma. Methods and Materials: Electron boost simulation films from 316 cases of early breast carcinoma treated with lumpectomy and radiotherapy were reviewed. For each case which had surgically placed lumpectomy bed clips ( N = 316), four clinical set-up methods ("hypothetical fields") of several field sizes were compared to the actual location of the tumor bed (as defined by the surgical clips). Each method was based on using the center of the scar as the center of the field and is described as follows: Method 1 uses a standard circular cone of a given diameter; method 2 also uses circular cones, but the diameter is based on the scar length; method 3 uses an oval field in which a constant margin is kept around the scar; method 4 results in an oblong field in which a 2 cm margin is placed on the lateral edge of the scar, but a larger margin around the center of the scar. The adequacy of each of these popular clinical set-up techniques was then analyzed for the population as a whole. "Inadequate" coverage was defined as any portion of the field edge coming within 1 cm of at least one surgical clip. Results: (1) Method 1: Inadequate coverage was found in 43%, 26%, and 17% of cases, using 7, 8, and 9 cm cones, respectively. (2) Method 2: Inadequate coverage was found in 88%, 61%, 36% and 20% of cases, with field size=scar length + 0, 2, 3, and 4 cm, respectively. (3) Method 3: Inadequate coverage was found in 34%, 17%, and 10% of cases, using 3, 3.5, and 4 cm margins, respectively. (4) Method 4: Inadequate coverage was found in 36% and 24% of cases using 3.5 and 4 cm margins around the scar center, respectively. Inadequate coverage was found in 51% and 42% of cases using margins equal to one-half the scar length or one-half the scar length + 1 cm, respectively. Conclusion: We conclude that the lumpectomy scar is often a poor indicator of the location of the underlying tumor bed as defined by surgical clips. We recommend the use of clip placement and simulation of the electron boost to maximize target definition.

At Yale-New Haven Hospital conservative treatment of early stage breast carcinoma with lumpectomy and radiation therapy has been used with increasing frequency since the 1960s. We have reviewed our experience with specific reference to prognosis following local recurrence. Between January 1962 and December 1984 a total of 433 patients were treated with conservative surgery and radiation therapy using standard techniques. As of December 1989, with minimum evaluable follow-up of 5 years and a median follow-up of 8.21 years, there have been a total of 50 ipsilateral breast recurrences resulting in a 5-year actuarial breast recurrence rate of 8%. Extent of disease at the time of local recurrence was clinically categorized as localized (less than 3 cm without dermal involvement) or diffuse (greater than 3 cm and/or with dermal involvement). Seventy-two percent of the recurrences were at or near the original tumor site whereas 28% recurred elsewhere in the breast. At a median follow-up post recurrence of 5.0 years (range 0.3-16.9 years), the 5-year actuarial survival for breast recurrences was 59% and the 5-year disease-free survival was 65%. A number of clinical and pathological features at the time of original diagnosis as well as at the time of local recurrence were tested as possible prognostic indicators for survival following local recurrence. By univariate analysis, significant factors associated with survival following local recurrence included extent of local disease at the time of recurrence (p less than .01), time to local recurrence (p less than .03), with later recurrences doing better, and site of local recurrence (p less than .01), with recurrences elsewhere in the breast doing better. We conclude from this large single institutional experience with a median follow-up post-recurrence of over 5 years that patients experiencing a local recurrence in the conservatively treated breast have a relatively favorable prognosis. The prognostic factors correlating with survival and implications regarding adjuvant systemic therapy at the time of local recurrence are discussed.

1Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Radiation Oncology, Philadelphia, PA 2Radiology and Imaging Sciences, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 3National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda, MD 4Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore, MD 5University of Miami Health System, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Miami, FL 6Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Philadelphia, PA

Purpose/Objective(s): A retrospective chart review was conducted to determine if there was any difference in local recurrence rates between two common radiation schedules for adjuvant whole breast radiation in early stage breast carcinoma. Materials/Methods: There were 499 patients with T1-T2, NO breast carcinoma treated with breast conserving surgery and whole breast radiation and without adjuvant systemic treatment at a single institution from January 1985 to December 1992. There were two commonly used fractionation schedules at this time. The first was 5000 cGy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks and the second was 4000 cGy in 15 or 16 fractions plus a boost of 500-1250 cGy in 3-5 fractions. Kaplan-Meir estimates of time to local-recurrence were calculated for the two groups. Results: The median follow-up was 17.4 years. The median age was 60. There were 191 (38.3%) patients treated with 5000 cGy in 25 fractions and 308 (61.7%) patients treated with 4000 cGy in 15/16 fractions plus a boost. The most commonly used boost fractionation was 1250 cGy in 5 fractions in 170 patients (55%). There was no statistically significant difference in local recurrence rate between the two fractionation schedules. The 5, 10 and 15 year local failure rate was 4.9%, 10.7% and 12.5% for the 15/16 fractions plus boost group and 2.7%, 13.1% and 19.2% for the 25 fraction group. Conclusions: Standard whole breast radiation with 5000/25 without a boost results in similar local controls rates as a hypofractionated schedule which includes a boost. Therefore, the practice of boosting all breast patients may not be necessary when using a standard fractionation schedule. Author Disclosure:O. Vujovic: None. E. Yu: None. A. Cherian: None. A. Dar: None. L. Stitt: None. F. Perera: None.

Factors which influence patient prognosis following a breast recurrence or regional nodal recurrence after initial treatment of early-stage invasive breast carcinoma with conservative surgery and radiotherapy are not well known. Ninety patients treated at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy treated from 1968-1981 had a recurrence in the treated breast before (84) or simultaneous with (6) distant metastases. Sixty-five patients had salvage mastectomy (median subsequent follow-up in patients without further disease, 32 months; range, 1-123 months). The five-year rate of further recurrence in this group was 37%. The most important variable associated with subsequent outcome was the histology of the recurrent tumor. There were no further recurrences among 10 patients with purely non-invasive cancer or 10 patients with predominantly non-invasive disease and only focal areas of invasion. In contrast, 17/45 patients (38%) with predominantly infiltrating tumors suffered further local-regional recurrences (6) or distant metastases (11) following mastectomy (5-year actuarial rate, 55%) (p less than 0.05). Ten patients developed regional nodal failures without evidence of simultaneous breast recurrence (1 internal mammary, 3 supraclavicular, 1 both supraclavicular and axillary, and 5 axillary). Only 3 of these 10 (all with axillary node failures) did not have simultaneous distant metastases; they remain alive without evidence of further distant or local-regional recurrence following salvage treatment 1, 59, and 87 months after recurrence. We conclude that the great majority of the patients (88% in this series) who have a breast recurrence following initial conservative surgery and radiation therapy for early stage breast carcinoma will have disease limited to the breast clinically and tumors amenable to salvage mastectomy. Salvage mastectomy appears to be effective treatment for patients with an isolated breast recurrence, especially if the recurrence is predominantly or wholly non-invasive.