title: Postmastectomy radiation therapy for breast cancer patients with one to three positive lymph nodes: a propensity score matching analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Conducting postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) for breast cancer patients with one to three positive lymph nodes is still controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Propensity score matching analysis was applied to balance the clinical baseline characteristics of patients. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to analyze the survival prognosis factors and perform subgroup analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistical difference in overall survival and cancer-specific survival rates (all, p > 0.05) between the PMRT and non-PMRT groups. However, for subgroup patients with tumor size ≥5 cm and the number of positive lymph nodes = 3, PMRT showed a significant survival benefit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PMRT can improve overall survival and cancer-specific survival only in breast cancer patients whose tumor size is larger than 5 cm and with three positive lymph nodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China.
authors.forename: Jiamao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Dean's Office, Shandong Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Chenyue
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shandong Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shandong Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China.
authors.forename: Haiyong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D057216:Propensity Score; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
keywords: breast cancer; mastectomy; radiotherapy