Phase II Multi-center Trial Evaluating 5 Fraction Stereotactic Partial Breast Irradiation Using Gammapod

Stereotactic radiation has been implemented more than 3 decades ago, initially to radiate benign and later malignant tumors within the brain. Doses up to 24 Gy in one session have been used. Hundreds of thousands of patients have been treated worldwide with very good outcomes . Over the last decade, the stereotactic radiation techniques have been implemented to treat extra-cranial tumors. The challenges of extra cranial tumors were in part target motion during the radiation session, but also accurate re positioning of the patient and of the target volume at time of radiation treatment. Specific immobilization devices are now available to improve accuracy of target localization. Stereotactic radiation therapy is widely available, non-invasive for the patient and less operator dependent as the planning process (from target volume to dose calculation) can be done and verified by different operators through a quality assessment procedure. Stereotactic radiation is a complex type of 3D CRT that is a very attractive technique making the 3D CRT more conformal and more accurate delivery of the prescription dose within the target volume with a very good sparing of surrounding normal tissue. The principles of stereotactic radiation are the following: precise image definition of target volume and OARs, very conformal radiation treatment.