"One to three" or "four or more"?: selecting patients for postmastectomy radiation therapy.
A review of randomized trials suggesting an improvement in overall patient survival with postmastectomy radiation therapy revealed that most patients in these studies had three or fewer positive axillary lymph nodes. Therefore, it is logical to consider using postmastectomy radiation therapy in all lymph node positive patients, not just those with four or more positive lymph nodes.
Marks
L B
LB
Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
Prosnitz
L R
LR
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008408:Mastectomy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate