title: Tubular breast carcinoma: an argument against treatment de-escalation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of adjuvant radiotherapy in management of patients with tubular carcinoma of the breast.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred seventy-eight patients treated for tubular carcinoma were identified from the Queensland Radium Institute database. A retrospective review of medical records identified 115 patients meeting eligibility criteria: breast-conserving surgery for a histological diagnosis of tubular carcinoma, minimum follow up of 12 months and adequate medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median follow up was 64 months. There were no significant differences between patient characteristics treated with and without radiotherapy. Median age at diagnosis was 54 (36-78) years. Ninety-five percent tumours were T1 and four patients had positive axillary lymph nodes. Of 94 patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy, one developed local relapse. Five of 21 patients who did not have adjuvant radiotherapy failed locally. Five-year relapse-free survival with and without radiotherapy was 100 and 89%, respectively (hazard ratio for radiotherapy: 0.06; 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.32, P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiotherapy has a significant impact on relapse-free survival in patients treated with breast-conserving surgery for tubular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Care Services, UQ School of Medicine and Pathology Queensland: The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Australia. carmen.hansen@petermac.org
authors.forename: Carmen J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.forename: Sunil R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lakhani
authors.forename: Owen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ung
authors.forename: Jacqui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tripcony
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cheuk
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grogan
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: Jarad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome