Radiotherapy Benefit Confirmed in Patients Undergoing Breast Conservation

Long-term follow-up data show that recurrence was less common after adjuvant radiotherapy, primarily during the first 5 years.

The standard of care for patients with early-stage breast cancer undergoing breast conservation surgery is to receive postoperative radiotherapy (XRT), a standard established after the findings of multiple randomized clinical trials. The Uppsala/Orebro study with 10 years of follow-up (J Clin Oncol 1999; 17:2326) was one of the first randomized clinical trials to demonstrate the benefit of adjuvant XRT to the breast. Now, investigators report results of the trial after 20 years of follow-up.

A total of 381 women with stage 1 (pT1N0) breast cancer were randomized to sector resection — which is more extensive than standard lumpectomy but less so than quadrantectomy — with XRT (54 Gy in 27 fractions) or without XRT.

Results were as follows:

The c…

Reviewing Author

William J. Gradishar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardLilly; AstraZeneca; Gilead

Grant/Research SupportBreast Cancer Research Foundation

Editorial BoardsClinical Breast Cancer; Oncology; Annals of Surgery; Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNational Comprehensive Cancer Network (Chair, Breast Cancer Panel); American Board of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology Board)