voluntary-breath-hold-technique-for-reducing-heart-dose-left-breast

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy

Breath-holding techniques reduce the amount of radiation received by cardiac structures during tangential-field left breast radiotherapy. With these ...

Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK

Hot flashes are experienced by about 52% of perimenopausal women. After breast cancer, this may increase to 70%. The use of hormone replacement therapy is not recommended in women who have had breast cancer; therefore, alternatives are required to help relieve hot flashes. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of relaxation training in reducing the incidence of hot flashes in women with primary breast cancer. This was a randomized controlled trial of 150 women with primary breast cancer who experienced hot flashes. The intervention group received a single relaxation training session and was instructed to use practice tapes on a daily basis at home for one month; the control group received no intervention. Outcomes were incidence and severity of flashes using a diary and validated measures of anxiety and quality of life. The incidence and severity of hot flashes, as recorded by diaries, each significantly declined over one month (P<0.001 and P=0.01, respectively), compared with the control group. Distress caused by flashes also significantly declined in the treatment group over one month (P=0.01), compared with the control group. There were no significant differences between the treatment group and the control group at three months and no changes in anxiety or quality-of-life measures. Relaxation may be a useful component of a program of measures to relieve hot flashes in women with primary breast cancer.

A randomized controlled trial of relaxation training to reduce hot flashes in women with primary breast cancer.

Few trials of adjuvant breast radiotherapy have incorporated patient-reported breast symptoms and related areas of quality of life. We assessed these measures in a quality-of-life study that was part of the randomised START (Standardisation of Breast Radiotherapy) trials.

Comparison of patient-reported breast, arm, and shoulder symptoms and body image after radiotherapy for early breast cancer: 5-year follow-up in the randomised Standardisation of Breast Radiotherapy (START) trials.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Intraoperative radiotherapy for early breast cancer.

Randomised trials testing 15- or 16-fraction regimens of adjuvant radiotherapy in women with early breast cancer have reported favourable outcomes compared with standard fractionation. To evaluate hypofractionation further, two 5-fraction schedules delivering 1 fraction per week have been tested against a 25-fraction regimen.

First results of the randomised UK FAST Trial of radiotherapy hypofractionation for treatment of early breast cancer (CRUKE/04/015).

The field of radiogenomics has evolved substantially over the last few years. Cooperative research groups have been established and high throughput genotyping has become increasingly feasible and affordable. Nevertheless, a number of clinical and dosimetric issues need to be carefully considered in order to fully exploit these new possibilities.

Conducting radiogenomic research--do not forget careful consideration of the clinical data.

To determine whether voluntary deep-inspiratory breath-hold (v_DIBH) and deep-inspiratory breath-hold with the active breathing coordinator™ (ABC_DIBH) in patients undergoing left breast radiotherapy are comparable in terms of normal-tissue sparing, positional reproducibility and feasibility of delivery.

The UK HeartSpare Study: randomised evaluation of voluntary deep-inspiratory breath-hold in women undergoing breast radiotherapy.

5-year results of the UK Standardisation of Breast Radiotherapy (START) trials suggested that lower total doses of radiotherapy delivered in fewer, larger doses (fractions) are at least as safe and effective as the historical standard regimen (50 Gy in 25 fractions) for women after primary surgery for early breast cancer. In this prespecified analysis, we report the 10-year follow-up of the START trials testing 13 fraction and 15 fraction regimens.

The UK Standardisation of Breast Radiotherapy (START) trials of radiotherapy hypofractionation for treatment of early breast cancer: 10-year follow-up results of two randomised controlled trials.

Joanne S. Haviland

Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU)

Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy

Joanne S. Haviland

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU)

Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy

Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU)