Electron-Beam Therapy in the Management of Carcinoma of the Breast

Breast cancer, its metastases to regional lymph nodes, and chest-wall recurrences are frequent problems which require skillful management. While these lesions are moderately superficial, skin reaction or damage to underlying tissues, particularly to bone and lung, is often the factor limiting the delivery of adequate tumor doses by conventional radiation therapy. Lymph-node metastases or chest-wall recurrences may develop in previously irradiated areas, and the skin changes prevent further treatment by the usual technics. In these circumstances, electron-beam therapy appears to us to offer definite advantages over conventional treatment. The purpose of this paper is to present our preliminary observations in treating 70 patients with cancer of the breast by means of the high-energy electron beam produced by the betatron at Memorial Center (New York). The following considerations entered into our decision to explore the role of high-energy electron-beam irradiation. (1) The electron beam has a sharp fall-o...