Radiotherapy instead of axillary lymph node dissection: evaluation of axillary lymph node dose coverage with whole breast radiotherapy.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose coverage of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN), level I, II and III axillary volumes from tangent fields for breast cancer patients with positive SLN without axillary dissection. Materials and methods: In 30 patients with cN0 invasive breast cancer treated with breast conserving surgery and SLN biopsy, the SLN area was intraoperatively marked with a titanium clip. Retrospectively, the SLN area and axillary target volumes were contoured, and three plans [standard tangent fields (STgF), high tangent fields (HTgF), and STgF + axillary-supraclavicular field] were generated for each patient. The prescribed dose was standardized to 50 Gy in 2 Gy fractions to the isocenter. Results: The mean dose with STgF or HTgF was 33.1 and 49.1 Gy (p = 0.0001) in the SLN area, 25.7 and 45.1 Gy (p < 0.0001) in the volume of level I, 7.2 and 28.9 Gy (p < 0.0001) in the level II and 3.5 and 12.7 Gy (p = 0.0003) in the level III. Adequate therapeutic doses to the level II or III volumes were delivered only with STgF + axillary-supraclavicular field. The mean dose of ipsilateral lung was the highest with the three-field-technique, 9.9 Gy. SLN area, level I, II or III were completely included in the HTgF with 93.3%, 73.3%, 13.3% and 0%, respectively. Conclusions: SLN area should be marked by surgical clip and axillary target volumes should be contoured to obtain accurate dose estimations. The use of HTgF improve axillary coverage.

Pediatric adrenocortical adenoma presenting with Cushing's syndrome / Cushing-szindrómát okozó gyermekkori mellékvesekéreg-adenoma

Összefoglaló. A gyermekkorban kialakuló Cushing-szindróma ritka betegség, a leggyakrabban exogén szteroidadás következményeként jelentkezik. A daganatos betegségek közül a hypophysis kortikotropint szekretáló adenomája, illetve a mellékvesekéreg-tumorok okoznak a leggyakrabban Cushing-szindrómát. Jelen tanulmányunkban egy Cushing-szindrómával diagnosztizált fiú esetét mutatjuk be. Az endokrinológiai kivizsgálás adrenokortikotropin (ACTH)-independens hypercortisolismust támasztott alá. A hasi MRI-felvételen egy éles határral rendelkezo, 3,5 cm nagyságú terime ábrázolódott a jobb mellékvese-régióban. A tumort parciális mellékvese-eltávolítás során távolították el. A szövettani elemzés mellékvesekéreg-adenomát igazolt. A gyermek klinikailag és laborértékei alapján gyógyultnak tekintheto. A Cushing-szindrómával kezelt betegek hosszú távú nyomon követése szükséges, melynek során szükség szerint biztosítani kell a glükokortikoidok és az egyéb szteroidhormonok megfelelo pótlását, a kialakult szövodmények kezelését, és adott esetben idoben fel kell ismerni a Cushing-szindróma késoi relapsusát is. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(10): 407-412. Summary. Cushing's syndrome (CS) in children is a rare disease, most frequently caused by either an adrenal tumor or a corticotropin-secreting pituitary adenoma. Its early detection and effective treatment are highly important to avoid the short- and long-term consequences of hypercortisolism. We report a case of a child with Cushing's syndrome resulting from an adrenocortical adenoma. Endocrinological data revealed adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) independent hypercortisolism. MRI scan of the adrenal glands showed a single, well-encapsulated tumor on the right adrenal gland with a diameter of 3.5 cm. Adrenal gland sparing surgery was performed with total excision of the tumor. The histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of adrenal adenoma. The child was cured clinically and biochemically. The long-term follow-up of patients treated for Cushing's syndrome should include the adequate replacement of glucocorticoids and other steroid hormones, treatment of osteoporosis and other pathologic effects of hypercortisolism and long-term screening for the relapse of Cushing's syndrome. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(10): 407-412.

[Dose coverage of axillary target volumes using different field arrangements following breast conserving surgery for invasive breast cancer]. / Az axilláris nyirokcsomók dózisa különféle besugárzási mezõelrendezésekbõl emlõmegtartó mûtét után.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose coverage of sentinel lymph node (SLN) site, level I, II and III axillary target volumes using different field arrangements (standard or high tangent fields: STgF, HTgF and STgF + axillary-supraclavicular field: ASF) in N0 invasive breast cancer patients treated with breast conserving surgery. In 30 patients the SLN site was marked with titanium clip. They were treated with 3D-conformal radiotherapy. Retrospectively, for the purpose of this study, the SLN site and axillary target volumes were contoured, and three plans were generated for each patient using the original CT data. The prescribed dose was 50 Gy (2 Gy/fraction). The mean dose with STgF or HTgF was 33.1 and 49.1 Gy (p=0.0001) in the SLN site, 25.7 and 45.1 Gy (p<0.0001) in level I, 7.2 and 28.9 Gy (p<0.0001) in level II and 3.5 and 12.7 Gy (p=0.0003) in level III. The mean dose with STgF+ASF in level II or III was 45 and 46 Gy. The dose coverage is inadequate to all axillary levels with STgM. The target volumes should be delineated to give accurate dose estimation.

Mapping of the functional anatomy of lymphatic drainage to the axilla in early breast cancer: A cohort study of 933 cases.

INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were to investigate the correlation between lymphatic drainage and the sentinel lymph node (SLN) status of the subregions in the context of the clinic-pathological parameters of the tumour and the coverage of the axillary volumes by standard and high tangential fields (STgF and HTgF) for whole breast radiotherapy and axillary reverse mapping (ARM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 933 women with early breast cancer and clinically negative axillary status underwent breast surgery and SLN biopsy followed by axillary lymph node dissection in SLN-positive cases. The subregional localisation of the SLN(s) was registered and statistically analysed with the clinic-pathological characteristics of the breast tumour. In node-positive patients treated with breast-conserving therapy in whom the SLNs were found in the anterior or posterior axillary subregions, the axillary volumes were contoured using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group contouring atlas (n = 61). RESULTS: In 91.1% (n = 797) of the cases, the SLN appeared in the anterior, posterior or central subregions. Using HTgF, Level I or II were completely covered in 65.6% (40/61) and 6.6% (4/61) of the cases, respectively. With STgF, the complete coverage was 0% for both levels. 6.8% (n = 63) of all cases had one positive lymph node in the expected ARM lymph node regions. DISCUSSION: A SLN is more than likely to be present in the anterior, posterior and central axillary subregions. Tangential fields allow only limited coverage of the axillary volumes. Preserving the lateral subregion during ARM may increase the possibility of understaging.