Breast conservation therapy exemplifies the tailoring of medicine in the care of patients with cancer. Akin to improvements in surgical approaches, accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) tailors the treatment volume and duration to the needs of well selected patients. Here, we examine the evidence supporting APBI as well as the lessons in patient selection, dose and delivery techniques. Examination of historical techniques and their associated outcomes will support more correct patient selection and treatment delivery in an era where we await the reports of several large prospective trials.
Keywords: Breast cancer; accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI); brachytherapy; breast conservation; radiotherapy; toxicity.