Breast preserving therapy: shorter treatment duration by the peroperative introduction of iridium guide needles]

In the Deventer Radiotherapeutic Institute from January 1981 through December 1989, 359 patients who had undergone a breast-saving operation were irradiated. Since 1987, iridium guiding needles were introduced peroperatively in 79 of these patients. Subsequently, irradiation was administered. With this method the total duration of treatment was 16 days shorter on average than in patients who postoperatively were treated with iridium or external irradiation; also, the patients treated peroperatively needed only to be anaesthetized once. In addition, better positioning of the needles was possible, reducing the risk of faulty localization. The follow-up was short but the preliminary results of the treatment were good (one local recurrence after an average follow-up of 20 months) and no adverse effect on wound healing was seen.