Background
Methods/design
Study design
Primary endpoint
Secondary endpoints
Exploratory outcome
Inclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria
Randomization
Treatment arms
Radiation therapy
Localization, simulation, and immobilization
Target and normal tissue volume definitions
Clinical target volumes (CTVs)
Cranial | Caudal | Ventral | Dorsal | Medial | Lateral | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Breast CTV (CTV_B) | Upper border of palpable/visible breast tissue; maximally up to the caudal edge of the sterno-clavicular joint | Most caudal CT slice with visible breast | 5 mm under skin surface (3 mm for small breast) | Major pectoral muscle or costae and intercostal muscles where no muscle | Lateral to the medial perforating mammarian vessels; maximally to the edge of the sternal bone | Lateral breast fold; anterior to the lateral thoracic artery | ||
Chest wall CTV (CTV_CW) | Guided by palpable/visible signs; if appropriate guided by the contralateral breast; maximally up to the caudal edge of the sterno-clavicular joint | Guided by palpable/visible signs; if appropriate guided by the contralateral breast | Skin | Major pectoral muscle or costae and intercostal muscles where no muscle (For T4a/T4c cases, the major pectoral muscle and ribs should be included) | Guided by palpable/visible signs; if appropriate guided by the contralateral breast | Guided by palpable/visible signs; if appropriate guided by the contralateral breast. Usually anterior to the mid-axillary line | ||
Supraclavicular CTV | Medial supraclavicular CTV (CTV_M_SCL) | Caudal to the cricoid cartilage | Includes the subclavian vein with 5 mm margin, thus connecting to the cranial border of CTVn_IMN | Sternocleidomastoid muscle, dorsal edge of the clavicle | Anterior aspect of the scalene muscle | Including the jugular vein without margin; excluding the thyroid gland and the common carotid artery | Cranial: Sternocleidomastoid muscle Caudal: junction of 1st rib and clavicle | |
Entire supraclavicular CTV (CTV_E_SCL) | Same as above | Same as above | Same as above | Trapezius muscle | The same as CTV_M_SCL anteriorly, avoids the scalene and elevator scapulae muscles posteriorly | Sternocleidomastoid muscle, clavicle, and connecting to axillary level III | ||
Internal mammary node CTV (CTV_IMN) | Caudal limit of CTV_SCL | Cranial side of the 4th rib (in selected cases 5-6th rib) | Ventral limit of the vascular area | Pleura | 5 mm from the internal mammary vein (artery in cranial part down to and including first intercostal space) | 5 mm from the internal mammary artery | ||
Undissected axillary CTV (CTV_udALN) | Undissected Axillary level 2 | Includes the cranial extent of the axillary artery (i.e. 5 mm cranial of axillary vein) | The caudal border of the minor pectoral muscle, but should exclude the extent of the dissection | Minor pectoral muscle | Up to 5 mm dorsal of axillary vein or to costae and intercostal muscles | Medial edge of minor pectoral muscle | Lateral edge of minor pectoral muscle, but should exclude the extent of the dissection | |
Axillary level 3 | Includes the cranial extent of the subclavian artery (i.e. 5 mm cranial of subclavian vein) | 5 mm caudal to the subclavian vein | Major pectoral muscle | Same as level 2 | Junction of subclavian and internal jugular veins, connects to CTV_SCN | Medial side of the minor pectoral muscle | ||
Interpectoral nodes | Includes the cranial extent of the axillary artery (i.e. 5 mm cranial of axillary vein) | The caudal border of the minor pectoral muscle | Major pectoral muscle | Minor pectoral muscle | Medial edge of minor pectoral muscle | Lateral edge of minor pectoral muscle |
Planning target volumes (PTVs)
Organs at risk (OARs)
Dose specifications
Technique factors and treatment planning
Conventional fractionated RT (50 Gy in 25 fractions) | Hypofractionated RT (42.56 Gy in 16 fractions) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
required | acceptable | required | acceptable | |
Heart(Left_sided) | Dmean ≦ 6 Gy | Dmean ≦ 8 Gy | Dmean ≦ 5.1 Gy | Dmean ≦ 6.8 Gy |
V20Gy ≦ 5% | V25Gy ≦ 5% | V17Gy ≦ 5% | V21Gy ≦ 5% | |
Heart(Right_sided) | Dmean ≦ 2 Gy | Dmean ≦ 3 Gy | Dmean ≦ 1.7 Gy | Dmean ≦ 2.6 Gy |
V20Gy ≦ 0% | V25Gy ≦ 0% | V17Gy ≦ 0% | V21Gy ≦ 0% | |
Ipsilateral Lung | V20Gy ≦ 30% | V20Gy ≦ 35% | V17Gy ≦ 30% | V17Gy ≦ 35% |
V5Gy ≦ 60% | V5Gy ≦ 70% | V4.2 Gy ≦ 60% | V4.2 Gy ≦ 70% | |
Contralateral lung | V5Gy ≦ 10% | V5Gy ≦ 15% | V4.2 Gy ≦ 10% | V4.2 Gy ≦ 15% |
Contralateral breast | V5Gy ≦ 10% | V5Gy ≦ 15% | V4.2 Gy ≦ 10% | V4.2 Gy ≦ 15% |
Thyroid | Dmean ≦ 25 Gy | Dmean ≦ 26.2 Gy | Dmean ≦ 21.2 Gy | Dmean ≦ 22.2 Gy |
Esophagus | V20Gy ≦ 10% | V20Gy ≦ 15% | V17Gy ≦ 10% | V17Gy ≦ 15% |
Spinal cord | Dmax ≦ 45 Gy | Dmax ≦ 38.2 Gy | ||
Humeral head | Dmean ≦ 25 Gy | Dmean ≦ 26.2 Gy | Dmean ≦ 21.2 Gy | Dmean ≦ 22.2 Gy |
V30Gy ≦ 30% | V30Gy ≦ 35% | V28.5 Gy ≦ 30% | V28.5 Gy ≦ 35% | |
Brachial plexus | Dmax ≦ 54 Gy | Dmax ≦ 56.7 Gy | Dmax ≦ 46 Gy | Dmax ≦ 48.3 Gy |
Treatment verification
Follow-up
Baseline | During RT | End of RT | First 2 years after RT | 3 ~ 5 years after RT | Beyond 5 years after RT | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Every 1 ~ 2 week | Every 3 months | Every 6 months | Every 12 months | |||
Clinical examination | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Hematology tests | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Blood chemistry/tumor-markers tests | X | X | X | X | ||
Ultrasounds | X | X | X | X | ||
Mammogram | X | every 12 months after RT | ||||
Chest CT* | X | every 12 months after RT | ||||
Acute radiation adverse events | X | X | X | At 2 weeks and 3 month after RT | ||
Late radiation adverse events | X | At 3 month after RT, and than every 12 months | ||||
PROs/QoL questionnaires | X | At 3 month after RT, and than every 12 months | ||||
Blood biomarker samples | X | Carried out if possible |