Table 1 Results of randomized and single-arm interstitial brachytherapy trials

Wazer et al. [7]

32

Excision cavity + 2 cm

¹⁹²Ir, 3.4 Gy BID to 34 Gy

33

3

8 with fat necrosis, 11 with grade 3–4 skin toxicity

Arthur et al. [8]

44 (31 HDR, 13 LDR)

Lumpectomy cavity + 2 cm

¹⁹²Ir, HDR: 3.4 Gy BID to 24 Gy; LDR: 50 cGy/h to 45 Gy

42

0

43% of LDR patients had radiation recall with adriamycin

Benitez et al. [9]

199

Lumpectomy bed + 1–2 cm

LDR ¹²⁵I, 0.52 Gy/h to 50 Gy; HDR ¹⁹²Ir, 3.2-3.4 Gy BID to 32–34 Gy

68.4

1.2

11% fat necrosis, 90% good-excellent cosmesis

Ott et al. [10–12]

274

Tumor bed + 2 cm

¹⁹²Ir, PDR: at 0.6 Gy pulses to 50 Gy; HDR: 4 Gy BID to 32 Gy

63

2.9

2.6% ≥ grade 3 toxicity, 90% good to excellent cosmesis

Fentiman et al. [13]

50

Tumor bed + 2 cm

¹³⁷Cs, 4 fractions, 4–6 h/day to 45 Gy

75.6

18

82% good to excellent cosmesis

Polgár et al. [14]

45

Tumor bed + 1–2 cm

HDR ¹⁹²Ir, 7 fractions of 4.33 or 5.2 Gy in 4 days to 30.3–36.4 Gy

133

8.9

77.8% with good to excellent cosmesis, 2.2% with fat necrosis