Internal mammary radiotherapy in operable breast cancer

Abstract

This study aims at determination of the position of IM lymph node usmg lymphoscintigraphy to establish the best technique for IM radiotherapy with the least cardiac dose. 24 patients to whom two different plans were done Plan I : IM field+ two tangential fields .Plan II: 2 tanges According to the results of lymphoscintigraphy, the traditional IM field was changed in 14 of 24 patients (58.3%}, The mean dose to IM nodes in plan I was 4510cGy ± 171 while it was J989cGy ± 715 in plan ll.The mean percentage cardiac dose in plan I was 54.5% ± 12.57% while in plan II it was 9.16%±4.66%, (P:< 0.00 I ).The mean dose to the heart decreases by increasing the volume, This is also significant regarding the lung as the mean percentage lung dose in plan I was 46.53% ±14.73% while in plan II it was 24.5%±4.2% with P < 0.001 .