title: Radiation therapy and breast cancer.
abstract: The role of radiation therapy in the management of breast cancer is well established. Questions remain, however, regarding: 1) which patients derive the most benefit from the addition of radiation in breast conservation for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and after mastectomy for node-positive invasive cancer; 2) what is the role of brachytherapy in the management of invasive disease, either as primary therapy or as a boost after external beam therapy; and 3) whether radiation fields can be modified given the low rates of local-regional recurrence reported after breast conserving therapy in patients receiving systemic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, Division of Radiation Oncology, Baltimore, MD 20815, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gage
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans