title: A population based study of radiotherapy in a cohort of patients with breast cancer diagnosed between 1996 and 2000.
abstract: We studied the use of radiotherapy (RT) (especially secondary RT) in a cohort of 6561 patients in southern Netherlands with invasive breast cancer diagnosed between 1996 and 2000 (median follow-up: 66 months, range 0-107 months). Radiation within 6 months of diagnosis was considered primary RT (PRT). RT given 6 months or later after diagnosis or after PRT was considered secondary RT (SRT). Of all patients, 67% received RT, 3554 only PRT, 323 only SRT and 503 both. The cumulative use of SRT at 100 months was 17%. The 826 patients receiving SRT underwent 1846 courses 0-105 months (median 36) after diagnosis; the retreat rate was 35%. Elderly patients received SRT significantly less often (OR(age50-69)=0.7, 95%CI=0.6-0.8, OR(age> or 70)=0.4, 95%CI=0.3-0.5). The following factors increased the chance for SRT: patients from the eastern region (OR=1.3, 95%CI=1.1-1.6); patients who received PRT (OR=1.3, 95%CI=1.0-1.5) and patients who underwent mastectomy including axillary node dissection as well as unresected patients (OR=1.9, 95%CI=1.5-2.4, OR=2.6, 95%CI=1.7-3.9, respectively). Thirteen percent of all patients with breast cancer received SRT, with a large variation in age and between the 2 RT departments in the region.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Bernard Verbeeten Institute, PO Box 90120, 5000 LA Tilburg, The Netherlands. vulto.a@bvi.nl
authors.forename: J C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Vulto
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Louwman
authors.forename: P M P
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Poortmans
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lybeert
authors.forename: H J T
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rutten
authors.forename: J W W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Coebergh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors