Treatment of local recurrent breast cancer by divided dose electron beam radiation twice a week

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of divided dose electron beam radiation twice a week (with a focal dose of 600 rads at a time) on local recurrent tumors of postoperative breast cancer and to compare it with the conventional photon radiation in the hope that it might be better tolerated by the patients, with less damage to normal skin and lung tissues. Out of 261 patients with breast cancer who came to the Department of Radiology, at Gunma Univ. Hospital, Maebashi, during the period Jan., 1970, through Jun., 1976, 41 patients who received electron beam radiation for local recurrence (in 81 sites) and 31 who received prophylactic radiation over the chest wall postoperatively. Tumors completely disappeared from 73 out of 81 sites irradiated for local recurrence (accounting 90% of the 81 sites). The local recurrent lesions were classified to the ''disseminated'' and the ''focal'' type to compare the effects of the radiation, and it was found that the radiation eliminated the tumors from all (100%) of the 63 sites of the former type, while the radiation was capable of eliminating the tumors from only 10 out of the 18 sites of the latter type (56%). When the focal type tumors were classified by histopathologic typing to compare the effects of the radiation, the radiation was assessed effective in papillotubular carcinoma, medullary tubular carcinoma and scirrhous carcinoma in the decreasing sequence of significance. Pulmonary disorders occurred in 12% of all the observed sites. However, it is possible to further reduce this incidence by the adequate use of the tissue compensating filter, Mix-R. A skin disorder (erosion) was observed in 59% of all the sites observed. However, it may be anticipated that the topical application of a suitable corticoid (Beta-methasone-17-valerate cream) preparation will by prophylactically effective. (auth.)