title: The dilemma of stage III breast cancer: a study of preoperative radiotherapy.
abstract: The results of treatment of 68 patients with Stage III breast cancer treated by preoperative radiotherapy and subsequent mastectomy have been compared with those in 68 patients treated by more conventional methods, matched individually for age, stage, and year of treatment. Preoperative radiotherapy delayed the time of the first local recurrence, but did not improve overall survival. It is concluded that preoperative radiotherapy may be justified in patients with Stage III breast cancer in an attempt to control local disease, but is unlikely to improve control of systemic recurrence.
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013997:Time Factors