title: Survey on the use of radiotherapy to treat early breast cancer following breast-conserving surgery in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of radiotherapy to treat early stage breast cancer following breast-conserving surgery has markedly increased. The study aimed to evaluate the clinical practice of radiotherapy in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey concerning the characteristics of breast-conserving radiotherapy for early stage breast cancer was distributed to all radiotherapy departments in mainland China in 2009. The results were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and ninety-six departments replied (41.6%), and 328 (34.4%) launched breast-conserving radiotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy was the most common combination and was performed in 55.2% of the responding centers. The median time from surgery to radiotherapy was 9 weeks. Three hundred and nineteen (97.3%) centers treated the whole breast, 273 (83.2%) the supraclavicular area, 138 (43.3%) the axilla, and 85 (26.8%) the internal mammary region; 97.5% (310/319) of all centers performed irradiation of the whole breast in all candidates. One hundred and fourteen (41.8%) treated the supraclavicular area, and 37 (26.8%) treated the axilla in 1-3 positive lymph nodes. Eighty-six (31.5%) and 40 (29.0%) performed the corresponding irradiation in N 2-3 patients. Fifty-six (72.9%) treated the internal mammary region for tumors of the center or inner quadrant. The conformal technique was used in 51.8% of the centers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a consensus has been reached, debate still exists about the target of postoperative radiotherapy in early stage breast cancer.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhou-guang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Jiang-hu
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zi-hao
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xin-fan
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Wei-hu
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu-lian
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yong-wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yue-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Ye-xiong
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome