Radiotherapy schedule for breast cancer after tumorectomy at the University of Athens

While radiotherapy (RT) is effective and flourishing in the industrialized world, it is problematic in the poor nations. This is because RT is heavily dependent on expensive sophisticated equipment not affluently available in developing nations. The authors have applied treatment strategies aiming at reducing treatment time on the therapy machines and on treatment planning systems, for different tumor sites. A technique was developed that does not violate EORTC and EUSOMA consensus meeting minimum requirements for postoperative RT except for one parameter: the dose per fraction. The authors feel that this does not jeopardize results of RT as it was proven by calculations using the linear-quadratic model. Correction for tissue inhomogeneities along cranio-caudal direction was not done in the patients, but this does not violate the above mentioned recommendations. Boost was given by Cs-137. Avoidance of excessive lung irradiation was obtained by greater than 180o divergence of tangential beams. Collimator rotation in cranio-caudal direction is also in accordance with the requirements. (author). 7 refs.; 2 figs