Types of radiotherapy

Radiotherapy can be delivered in many ways. The most common delivery method is linear accelerators.

There have been many improvements in the techniques that deliver radiation to the breast. One such new technology is using IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy), in which the radiation oncologist can change the shape and intensity of the radiation beam at different points across and inside the breast. This allows for a more focused beam of radiation directed at the tumor cells and leaves most of the healthy tissue unaffected by the radiation.

Another new procedure involves a type of brachytherapy, where a radioactive source is temporarily placed inside the breast in direct contact with the tumor bed (area where tumor was removed). This technique is called a Mammosite and is currently undergoing clinic trials.

New technology has also allowed more precise delivery of radiotherapy in a portable fashion — for example in the operating theatre. Targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT) is a method of delivering therapeutic radiation from within the breast using a portable X-ray generator called Intrabeam. It is undergoing clinical trials in several countries to test whether it can replace the whole course of radiotherapy in selected patients. It may also be able provide a much better boost dose to the tumor bed and appears to provide superior control. This will be tested in a TARGIT-B trial.