title: Breast carcinoma treated by conservative surgery: results of postoperative external radiotherapy with photons only and a nonsplit supraclavicular field.
abstract: Eighty-nine breasts in 85 patients were treated by lumpectomy and then radiotherapy from a Co-60 source only. The supraclavicular field was nonsplit. Eighty percent were in their 40s, 60s, or 70s with almost equal distribution. The majority of cases (80%) was T1 followed by T2 (18%). Axillary dissection was not done in 26% of patients. The majority (84%) had infiltrating ductal carcinoma; 6% had carcinoma in situ only. The dose to the breast including the boost was in the range of 6,000 cGy to 7,000 cGy in 96%, whereas in 4% it was in the range of 5,000 cGy. Forty-four patients (49%) with N0 did not have nodal irradiation. The dose to the nodes in the remaining patients ranged from 5,040 to 6,840 cGy. The cosmetic result was good to excellent in 99% of evaluated patients. There was telangiectasia in 1, arm edema in 2, no fibrosis in supraclavicular-tangential fields junction and no other soft-tissue or bone complications. Fifteen percent died; 6% had no evidence of cancer, and 9% had metastatic disease. Two had local recurrence, but with salvage mastectomy and systemic therapy were alive and well. The use of external photons only for breast irradiation and a nonsplit supraclavicular field yielded good results compared with alternative methods.
authors.affiliation: Bothwell Hospital, Sedalia, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abadir
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hornbostel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy