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Partial breast irradiation using targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (Targit)

Nature Clinical Practice Oncology volume 4, pages 384–385 (2007)Cite this article

Although breast-conserving therapy has long been vindicated, all patients still receive 'radical' whole-breast radiotherapy. Over the last decade, we have been questioning the concept of 'standard' whole-breast radiotherapy. Several clinical trials of partial breast irradiation (PBI) are underway (Targit-A, Targit-B, ELIOT, GEC-ESTRO, NSABP-B-39, RAPID, IMPORT). In this article I will discuss the targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (Targit) approach.

Correlation of whole-organ analysis of mastectomy specimens with clinical results suggests that clinically important breast cancer is a regional disease,1 and recurs mainly in its original tumor bed with a few exceptions such as lobular cancers. This is the rationale behind the concept that radiotherapy limited to the area around the primary tumor may be adequate. Targeting radiotherapy to the tumor bed means it can be delivered accurately at the time of surgery, does not delay adjuvant chemotherapy, and could allow breast conserving surgery (rather than mastectomy) when the 6-week course of postoperative radiotherapy is not desirable or practical.

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Author notes

  1. Department of Surgery and Molecular Oncology, Level 6, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK j.s.vaidya@dundee.ac.uk

Authors and Affiliations

  1. JS Vaidya is a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Surgeon at the Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, UK.,

    Jayant S Vaidya

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  1. Jayant S Vaidya
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Competing interests

Dr Vaidya has been reimbursed for travel expenses to international steering committee meetings by Carl Zeiss, the manufacturer of Intrabeam. However both the Targit-A and Targit-B trials are academically driven and so was the manufacture of the original radiotherapy device.

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Vaidya, J. Partial breast irradiation using targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (Targit). Nat Rev Clin Oncol 4, 384–385 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0850

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