TY - JOUR
T1 - Present clinical practice of breast cancer radiotherapy in Italy
T2 - a nationwide survey by the Italian Society of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) Breast Group
AU - on behalf of the Italian Society of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) Breast Group
AU - Gregucci, Fabiana
AU - Fozza, A.
AU - Falivene, S.
AU - Smaniotto, Daniela
AU - Morra, A.
AU - Daidone, A.
AU - Barbara, Raffaele
AU - Ciabattoni, A.
AU - Andrulli, D.
AU - Arcidiacono, F.
AU - Baiocchi, C.
AU - Baldissera, A.
AU - Barbarino, R.
AU - Bartoncini, S.
AU - Bono, M.
AU - Buffoli, A.
AU - Campanella, B.
AU - Campoccia, S.
AU - Catalano, G.
AU - Cavallari, M.
AU - Cerreta, V.
AU - Ciabattoni, A.
AU - Daidone, A.
AU - Deantonio, L.
AU - De Rose, F.
AU - Del Bufalo, S.
AU - Digennaro, D.
AU - Doino, Dp
AU - Evangelista, G.
AU - Falivene, S.
AU - Fedele, F.
AU - Fiorentino, A.
AU - Fodor, A.
AU - Fontana, A.
AU - Fozza, A.
AU - Fusco, V.
AU - Gatti, M.
AU - Gerardi, M.
AU - Giannini, M.
AU - Guenzi, M.
AU - Ippolito, E.
AU - Ivaldi, G.
AU - Lioce, M.
AU - Lora, O.
AU - Macchia, G.
AU - Maucieri, A.
AU - Morra, A.
AU - Orru, S.
AU - Parisi, S.
AU - Ravo, V.
PY - 2020/1/1
Y1 - 2020/1/1
N2 - Aims: To investigate the present attitude of the Italian Radiation Oncologists in the management of breast cancer (BC) concerning hypofractionated radiotherapy (hRT), partial-breast irradiation (PBI), re-irradiation (rRT) and radiotherapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (post-NAC RT). Methods: A nationwide, 21-point questionnaire was distributed online via SurveyMonkey. Results: Seventy-four Italian Radiotherapy Centers answered to the survey. In most cases, the responding centers treated more than 100 BC patients/year between January 2016 and December 2017. Almost half of responding centers (49%) treated patients with hRT,out of these, 95% as routine practice for early-stage BC. Dose prescriptions ranged between 39 and 45 Gy indicating a high use of moderate hRT. The chest wall and regional lymph nodes were irradiated with hRT by 13% and 15% of the responding centers, respectively. PBI was used by 60% of responders, with different techniques. Only 0.6% of participants perform rRT after BC recurrence.Finally, only 11% of the interviewed centers responded to their attitude toward post-NAC RT, which, however, was indicated in 97% of patients after breast-conserving surgery. Conclusions: This survey shows a fairly good use of hRT and a moderate practice of PBI in Italy. Some practices like hRT to the chest wall and regional lymph nodes as well as rRT need further verification. Likewise, the management of post-NAC RT is very heterogeneous. Future national clinical collaborative studies are advocated in order to investigate these controversial topics about breast cancer radiotherapy.
AB - Aims: To investigate the present attitude of the Italian Radiation Oncologists in the management of breast cancer (BC) concerning hypofractionated radiotherapy (hRT), partial-breast irradiation (PBI), re-irradiation (rRT) and radiotherapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (post-NAC RT). Methods: A nationwide, 21-point questionnaire was distributed online via SurveyMonkey. Results: Seventy-four Italian Radiotherapy Centers answered to the survey. In most cases, the responding centers treated more than 100 BC patients/year between January 2016 and December 2017. Almost half of responding centers (49%) treated patients with hRT,out of these, 95% as routine practice for early-stage BC. Dose prescriptions ranged between 39 and 45 Gy indicating a high use of moderate hRT. The chest wall and regional lymph nodes were irradiated with hRT by 13% and 15% of the responding centers, respectively. PBI was used by 60% of responders, with different techniques. Only 0.6% of participants perform rRT after BC recurrence.Finally, only 11% of the interviewed centers responded to their attitude toward post-NAC RT, which, however, was indicated in 97% of patients after breast-conserving surgery. Conclusions: This survey shows a fairly good use of hRT and a moderate practice of PBI in Italy. Some practices like hRT to the chest wall and regional lymph nodes as well as rRT need further verification. Likewise, the management of post-NAC RT is very heterogeneous. Future national clinical collaborative studies are advocated in order to investigate these controversial topics about breast cancer radiotherapy.
KW - AIRO
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Hypofractionated radiotherapy
KW - Partial-breast irradiation
KW - Radiotherapy and neoadjuvant therapy
KW - Re-irradiation
KW - Survey
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85079817677&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11547-020-01147-5
DO - 10.1007/s11547-020-01147-5
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85079817677
JO - Radiologia Medica
JF - Radiologia Medica
SN - 0033-8362
ER -