Breast cancer radiotherapy: Past, present and techniques evolving

The aim of this study was to research the evolution in the breast cancer treatment comparing 3D Conformational Radiotherapy with Hybrid-IMRT, Full IMRT, 2 Arc RapidArc and 6 Arc RapidArc planning technique. The new radiotherapy techniques applied on breast cancer improve both distribution dosage in PTV and manage to lower the distribution dosage in organs with higher risk. Modern radiotherapy techniques for breast cancer are becoming more sophisticated, however, requiring different beam geometries, rotational technique and more intensive imaging at the time of treatment. In 3D Conformational, PTV´s coverage can be sometimes insufficient, but compromises can be made, because the majorities of the relapses are in the proximity of the tumoral bed. The IMRT/RapidArc technique represents a progress, it offers optimal results for PTV and also for organs with high risk, but very long-term effects such as a risk of a radiotherapy-induced second malignancy become of greater importance. Nowdays, these techniques are evolving, so it brings an improvement in radiotherapy.