title: Importance of timing of radiotherapy in breast conserving treatment for early stage breast cancer.
abstract: This study reports on the treatment results in 508 patients with 514 AJCC stage I-II invasive breast carcinomas treated between July 1980 and July 1989. All patients underwent a lumpectomy with axillary lymph node dissection with postoperative irradiation. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to premenopausal node-positive patients. Postmenopausal node-positive patients received adjuvant hormonal treatment. The median follow-up period was 68 months (range, 40-152 months). The 5-year survival rates were 92.6%, 81.4% and 65.5% for stage I, stage IIA and stage IIB, respectively. Distant metastases were the main cause of death. Locoregional failures occurred in 4.9%. Breast recurrences were detected in 17 patients (3.3%). In a Cox proportional hazards analysis, T-stage, pathological margins and interval between surgery and radiotherapy were identified as independent factors predictive of breast recurrence (p < 0.05). The results suggest that radiotherapy should be initiated early after surgery to maintain the breast recurrence rate as low as possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Slotman
authors.forename: O W
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Njo
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Karim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D015182:Lymphatic Irradiation; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors