Local control with conventional and hypofractionated adjuvant radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery for ductal carcinoma in-situ

PurposeAdjuvant whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) improves local control, however an optimal dose fractionation remains undefined. WBRT following breast-conserving surgery for invasive breast cancer demonstrates equivalent efficacy and morbidity for conventional and hypofractionated treatment. Our group policy allowed for the use of both schedules, therefore we compared local control in women with DCIS following breast-conserving surgery.Patients and methodsTwo hundred and sixty-six patients treated between January 1999 and December 2004 with conventional (50 Gy in 25 fractions) or hypofractionated (42.4 Gy in 16 fractions or 40 Gy/16 + 12.5 Gy boost) WBRT after breast-conserving surgery for DCIS were retrospectively reviewed. Median follow-up was 3.76 years (range 0.1–8.9 years).ResultsOne hundred and four patients (39%) were treated with conventional and 162 (61%) with hypofractionated WBRT. The median age was 56.7 years (range 32.2–83.8 years), and prognostic features were well matched in both groups, apart from a small increase in tumour size in the conventional arm (1.75 vs. 2.12 cm, p = 0.05). Actuarial risk of recurrence at 4 years was 7% with hypofractionated WBRT and 6% with the conventional schedule (p = 0.9). Univariate analysis showed an increased risk of recurrence with high nuclear grade tumours (11% at 4 years for grade 3 vs. 4% for grade 1/2, p = 0.029).ConclusionsHypofractionated adjuvant WBRT following breast-conserving surgery for DCIS has comparable local control to a conventional radiation schedule. Hypofractionated WBRT is more convenient for patients, has equivalent morbidity and should be considered in this patient group.