- Features of radiotherapy planning (N=24).
| Survey question | Response | n (%) |
|---|---|---|
| I contour chest wall/breast | Always | 21 (87.5) |
| Never | 1 (4.2) | |
| Only when treating with IMRT | 2 (8.3) | |
| I contour nodal CTV | Always | 23 (95.8) |
| Never | 0 (0) | |
| Only when treating with IMRT | 1 (4.2) | |
| If nodal CTV was contoured* | I adjust the field border/shielding accordingly | 16 (66.7) |
| I follow the standard field borders and use the contours for reference only | 9 (37.5) | |
| I don’t contour nodal CTV anyway | 0 (0) | |
| Other | 0 (0) | |
| My LN CTV follows | RTOG atlas | 20 (83.3) |
| ESTRO atlas | 2 (8.3) | |
| Other | 2 (8.3) | |
| My LN PTV | Is 3 mm | 3 (12.5) |
| Is 5 mm | 12 (50) | |
| Is equal to my CTV | 2 (8.3) | |
| Is technique dependent, I add 3-5 mm when using IMRT but not with 3D | 7 (29.2) | |
| Other | 0.(0) | |
| InM PTV | Is equal to my CTV | 2 (8.3) |
| 5 mm all around | 5 (20.8) | |
| 3 mm all around | 3 (12.5) | |
| 3 or 5 mm, but trimmed from lung/heart | 6 (25) | |
| Is technique dependent, I add 3-5 mm when using IMRT but not with 3D, and I DO NOT trim from lung or heart | 5 (20.8) | |
| Is technique dependent, I add 3-5 mm when using IMRT but not with 3D, and I DO trim from lung or heart | 3 (12.5) | |
| Other | 0 (0) | |
| Acceptable InM PTV coverage is | 80% of prescription | 7 (29.2) |
| 90% of prescription | 8 (33.3) | |
| 95% of prescription | 4 (16.7) | |
| I only care about CTV coverage | 4 (16.7) | |
| Acceptable InM CTV coverage | 80% of prescription | 6 (25) |
| 90% of prescription | 13 (54.2) | |
| 95% of prescription | 5 (20.8) | |
| Technique used when treating InM* | Modified wide tangents whenever possible | 21 (87.5) |
| Direct electron field matching photon tangents whenever possible | 4 (16.7) | |
| Step and shoot IMRT | 6 (25) | |
| VMAT | 13 (54.2) | |
| Tomotherapy | 4 (16.7) | |
| Other | 0 (0) | |
| RNI after axillary dissection* | For any N1 I treat as per MA20 (small SC field encompassing axilla 3-SC) | 16 (66.7) |
| For N1+ ECE I treat the full axilla+SC+/-InM | 14 (58.3) | |
| For any N1 I treat the full axilla+SC+/-InM | 2 (8.3) | |
| For N1+ inadequate dissection I treat the full axilla+SC+/-InM | 17 (70.8) | |
| For N2 I always treat the dissected axilla +SC+/- InM (large MA20 SC field) | 13 (54.2) | |
| For N2 I treat the dissected axilla only in cases of inadequate dissection or extensive nodal involvement | 10 (41.7) |
↵* Multiple responses allowed. CTV: clinical target volume, IMRT: intensity modulated radiotherapy, LN: lymph node, RTOG: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, PTV: planning target volume, ESTRO: European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, InM: internal mammary, VMAT: volumetric modulated arc therapy, RNI: regional nodal irradiation, SC: supraclavicular, ECE: extracapsular extension