International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Aug 1989
Patterns of change in the physics and technical support of radiation therapy in the USA 1975-1986.
Information on the patterns of personnel and related equipment support and availability at various types of radiation oncology facilities are included in the Facilities Master List surveys conducted by the American College of Radiology. This paper summarizes the surveyed data obtained during 1975-1986. ⋯ The use of 60Co units has been progressively decreasing. Almost all types of facilities show inadequate, but slowly improving, numbers of physicians, physicists, dosimetrists, and technologists when compared with the level recommended by the Blue Book.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Aug 1989
Bilateral breast carcinoma treated with definitive irradiation.
From 1977 to 1987, 30 women were treated with definitive irradiation following breast-conserving surgery for bilateral carcinoma of the breast for a total of 60 treated breasts. Eleven women presented with concurrent bilateral carcinoma, and 19 women had sequential bilateral carcinoma. Pathologic axillary staging was performed in 51 of the 60 treated breasts. ⋯ An analysis of complications and cosmesis showed results similar to previously reported results for unilateral breast cancer. These results show that definitive irradiation following breast-conserving surgery for patients with bilateral breast cancer can technically be delivered with low complication rates and with acceptable survival and local control rates. Definitive irradiation should be considered as an acceptable alternative treatment to bilateral mastectomy for appropriately selected patients with concurrent or sequential bilateral early stage carcinoma of the breast.