title: Postmastectomy radiotherapy: indications and implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although breast conservation surgery, when combined with radiotherapy, has been shown to provide excellent locoregional control for breast cancer, approximately one third of women with breast cancer require mastectomy. Many of these women are offered immediate reconstruction. Postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) is indicated in some cases, but is associated with side-effects, including its impact on the reconstructed breast.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the pertinent issues surrounding PMRT, including patient selection for radiotherapy and the effect of radiotherapy on reconstructive decisions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review was performed using the Medline database.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PMRT is indicated in patients who are deemed to have a high risk of loco-regional recurrence. Although PMRT is strongly recommended for patients with four or more positive lymphnodes, other indications for PMRT remain controversial. Immediate reconstruction post mastectomy has been shown to have favorable outcomes. However, PMRT may increase the need for revision surgery post immediate reconstruction. There are few randomized trials looking at these key issues, and the evidence is largely derived from observational retrospective studies. Patients should be carefully counseled before a decision is made to proceed with immediate reconstruction, where there is a high chance that PMRT may be indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lowery
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Prichard
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Evoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland. Electronic address: James.Geraghty@ucd.ie.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geraghty
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty; D008408:Mastectomy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods
keywords: Breast reconstruction; Mastectomy; Postmastectomy radiotherapy