Breast-conserving surgery for primary breast cancer: necessity for surgical clips to define the tumor bed for radiation planning.

Authors:
  • TMT A McFall
    T A McFall
  • KHK A Hehr
    K A Hehr
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Radiographs obtained at definitive and boost irradiation in 50 patients with stage I-II breast cancer were retrospectively examined. Tangent target fields planned on the basis of surgical clips placed at excision biopsy were evaluated with simulation radiographs. Four (8%) of 50 tangent target fields would have been inadequate without clips, and 23 (46%) of the boost targets would have been missed (12 [24%], totally; 11 (22%), marginally). Radiopaque surgical clips placed at excision biopsy help plan boost-irradiation target fields.