Radiotherapy is a critical component in the treatment of breast cancer, a disease that is estimated to have affected 203,500 US women in 2002. According to the data from some series, an estimated 90% of patients treated with radiotherapy for breast cancer will develop a degree of radiation-induced dermatitis. This review describes the indications and techniques of radiotherapy for breast cancer. The pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and contributing factors of radiation-related skin injury are discussed. A review of recent clinical research addressing skin toxicity is provided.

Objective(s) This is the first clinical outcomes report of NRG Oncology RTOG 0539, detailing the primary endpoint, 3-year progression-free survival (3yPFS), compared to a predefined historical control for intermediate-risk meningioma, and secondarily evaluating overall survival (OS), local failure, and prospectively scored adverse events (AEs). Methods NRG Oncology RTOG 0539 was a phase II clinical trial allocating meningioma patients to 1 of 3 prognostic groups and management strategies according to WHO grade, recurrence status, and resection extent. For the intermediate-risk group (Group 2), eligible patients had either newly diagnosed WHO grade II meningioma with gross total resection (GTR, Simpson I-III) or recurrent WHO grade I of any resection extent. Pathology and imaging were centrally reviewed. Patients were treated with radiation therapy (RT), either intensity modulated (IMRT) or 3D conformal (3DCRT), 54 Gy in 30 fractions. The RT target volume was defined as the tumor bed and any nodular enhancement (e.g. recurrent WHO grade I patients) with a minimum 8 mm and maximum 15 mm margin, depending upon tumor locale and set-up reproducibility of RT method. The primary endpoint was 3yPFS. Results were compared to historical controls (3yPFS 70% following GTR alone and 90% with GTR + RT). AEs were scored using NCI Common Toxicity Criteria. Results Fifty-six patients enrolled in the intermediate-risk group; 3 were ineligible. Additionally, 1 did not receive RT, and 4 withdrew without recurrence before 3 years. Thus 52 patients received protocol therapy, and 48 were evaluable for the primary endpoint, 3y PFS which was 93.8% (p=.0003). Within 3 years there were 3 PFS events: 1 WHO grade II patient died of disease, 1 WHO grade II patient progressed and remained alive, and 1 recurrent WHO grade I patient died from undetermined cause without progression. Three-year local failure was 4.1%, and 3-year OS 96%. After 3 years 2 additional patients progressed: 1 recurrent WHO grade I, and the other WHO grade II; both remain alive. Among 52 evaluable patients who received protocol treatment, 36 (69.2%) were WHO II with GTR, and 16 (30.8%) recurrent WHO I. There was no significant difference in PFS between these subgroups (p=.52, HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.09 to 3.35), validating their consolidation. Of the 52 evaluable patients, 44 (84.6%) received IMRT, and 50 (96.2%) were treated per protocol or with acceptable variation. AEs (definitely, probably or possibly related to protocol treatment) were limited to grade 1 or 2, with no reported grade 3 events. Conclusion This is the first clinical outcomes report from NRG Oncology RTOG 0539. Patients with intermediate-risk meningioma treated with RT experienced excellent 3yPFS with a low rate of local failure, and a low risk of adverse events. These results support the use of post-operative RT for newly diagnosed gross totally resected WHO grade II, or recurrent WHO grade I meningioma irrespective of resection extent. They also document minimal toxicity and high rates of tumor contr...

Our data suggest that current meningioma classification and grading are at least as objective and reproducible as for gliomas. Nevertheless, reproducibility remains suboptimal. Further improvements may be anticipated with education and clarification of subjective criteria, although development of biomarkers may be the most promising strategy.