title: [The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of supraclavicular lymph node metastasis after radical mastectomy].
abstract: To define the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of supraclavicular lymph node (SCN) metastasis after initial surgery for breast cancer, a retrospective review of 55 patients with ipsilateral SCN metastasis after (extended) radical mastectomy was undertaken. In most cases, SCN metastasis is a manifestation of the systemic dissemination, because 87% of the patients developed second recurrence in 2 years after radiotherapy to SCN. However, the response to radiotherapy closely related to the survival after radiotherapy. 3 year-survival of the patients showing complete response was 42% while of the patients showing partial response was 9%. Six out of 34 mastectomized patients with sole SCN metastasis survived more than 3 years without evidence of recurrence following radiotherapy to SCN. It can be suggested that radiotherapy to SCN metastasis is not always palliative treatment, and has potency to improve the prognosis of the mastectomized patients. The prognostic factor of the patients with SCN metastasis was also referred. The time interval from initial surgery until SCN recurrence (disease free interval) has prognostic significance, because it indicates the natural course of each tumor. Presence of metastasis other than SCN at the time of first recurrence and poor response to radiotherapy predict worse prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Aichi Cancer Center.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002968:Clavicle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D015409:Mastectomy, Radical; D012189:Retrospective Studies