The organs at risk and radiation tolerance doses

During the last two decades, early diagnosis and better treatment options have improved the survival rates of breast cancer patients [1]. Radiotherapy (RT) is an essential component of the treatment of patients with early and locally advanced disease and has been shown to reduce local recurrence risk by approximately 20% and breast cancer mortality risk by 5% [2]. However, RT-induced toxicities may manifest from months to decades after treatment and may be related to severe morbidity and mortality. Older RT techniques are particularly associated with an excess risk of non-breast cancer mortality, which was mainly from heart disease [2]. The goal of modern RT techniques is to improve the therapeutic ratio by increasing tumor control and decreasing toxicity. © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013