A Hybrid IMRT Technique for Treatment of Breast Cancer: A Dosimetric Study

Abstract

Mahfzur Rahman, Suresh Poudel, Golam Abu Zakaria, Mohammed Shaheen Miah, Hasin Anupama Azhari, Sujan Mahamud, Mokhlesur Rahman, Hafizur Rahman and Shahadat Hossain

Breast Cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm in women and the main cause of death among women worldwide. Nearly 1.2 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer all over the world every year, and 500,000 women die of it each year [1]. Therefore, the breast cancer remains the primary cause of cancer mortality in women after lung cancer. With the development of treatment strategies, an enhanced awareness of medical examination, and the popularity of breast cancer screening, the 5-year overall survival of breast cancer patients has improved in the last 30 years [1]. The 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year overall survival is 89%, 83%, and 78%, respectively. Analyses of randomized clinical trials have proven that breast-preserving surgery achieves survival equivalent to mastectomy in patients with early-stage breast cancer [2-4]. Adjuvant whole-breast irradiation is performed on these patients as the standard of care. In Bangladesh, the rate of breast cancer occurrence is estimated to be 22.5 per 100,000 females of all ages, compared to 124.8 per 100,000 females worldwide. For Bangladeshi women aged between 15-44 years, breast cancer has the highest rate of occurrence 19.3 per 100,000, compared to any other type of cancer [5]. Breast cancer can be treated using a multimodality approach of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy. The treatment options vary as per the stage and grading of the tumor. The most adopted treatment method for breast cancer patients is breast conservation surgery (BCS), or mastectomy followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Adjuvant radiotherapy improves local control and improves overall survival [6].

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