Table 3.
Clinical-pathological and financial aspects influencing the decision of radiation oncologists to recommend moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy schedules
| Characteristics | Hypofractionation | Other | OR (95% CI) | p-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | |||
| Age | 114 | 78.0 | 12 | 54 | 3.01 (1.2–7.2) | 0.009 |
| Breast cancer stage | 111 | 76.0 | 19 | 73 | 1.10 (0.4–3.3) | 0.747 |
| Breast size | 111 | 76.0 | 18 | 69 | 1.41 (0.56–3.21) | 0.461 |
| Tumour side (right or left) | 135 | 92.5 | 23 | 88 | 1.60 (0.41–6.19) | 0.491 |
| Breast cancer molecular subtype | 131 | 89.7 | 22 | 85 | 1.59 (0.41–5.23) | 0.444 |
| Tumor grade | 126 | 86.3 | 22 | 84 | 1.15 (0.35–3.5) | 0.819 |
| Surgical margins | 123 | 84.2 | 22 | 84 | 0.97 (0.31–3.01) | 0.962 |
| Dose to organs at risk | 104 | 71.2 | 20 | 77 | 0.74 (0.27–1.98) | 0.551 |
| Dose inhomogeneity | 115 | 78.8 | 19 | 73 | 1.37 (0.52–3.51) | 0.519 |
| Use of high tangents | 140 | 95.9 | 25 | 96 | 0.93 (0.10–8.00) | 0.950 |
| Regional nodal irradiation | 105 | 71.9 | 13 | 50 | 2.56 (1.1–6.00) | 0.002 |
| Internal mammary node irradiation | 105 | 71.9 | 19 | 73 | 0.94 (0.36–2.40) | 0.903 |
| Flap-based breast reconstruction | 126 | 86.3 | 23 | 88 | 0.82 (0.22–3.00) | 0.766 |
| Implant-based breast reconstruction | 136 | 93.1 | 21 | 65 | 3.24 (1.1–10) | 0.031 |
| Financial issues/reimbursement | 100 | 68.5 | 20 | 77 | 0.65 (0.24–1.73) | 0.389 |
Note: The absolute numbers and percentages correspond to the total response obtained in each item. OR — odds ratio; CI — confidence interval