B McCormick — Page 11 | Search PubMed

PubMedDate not supplied

The impact of the sequence of radiation and chemotherapy on local control after breast-conserving surgery.

PURPOSE: We conducted this study to evaluate the effects of delaying primary radiation after adjuvant chemotherapy on local control following breast-conserving surgery compared with radiation delivered immediately following surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective, nonrandomized study evaluated local control in 471 patients treated with breast-conserving surgery and radiation from 1980 through 1990. Three patient subsets were studied, identified by the sequence of radiation and adjuvant therapy if given. The three subgroups were: surgery, radiation, no chemohormonal therapy (332 patients; RT only); surgery, all chemotherapy, radiation (53 patients; chemo first); and surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, chemotherapy (86 patients; sandwich). Median follow-up times ranged from 53 months in the chemo first group to 77 months in the RT only group. RESULTS: All three groups had similar local control rates at 3 and 5 years. At 36 months, the actuarial local control rate achieved by the RT only group was 98% (confidence interval: 95%-99%); by the chemo first group, 94% (CI: 82%-98%); and the sandwich group, 96% (CI: 89%-99%). At 60 months, the local control rate for the RT only group was 96% (CI: 93%-98%), the chemo first group, 86% (CI: 70%-94%) and the sandwich group 95% (CI: 87%-98%). CONCLUSIONS: This report demonstrates no significant difference in the local recurrence rate following breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy, whether radiation immediately followed the surgery or whether it was delayed by the administration of postsurgical adjuvant chemotherapy. These data differ from other reports, and suggest that this question remains open, requiring further follow-up that focuses not only on local control as an endpoint, but disease-free and overall survival as well.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mammographically detected, clinically occult ductal carcinoma in situ treated with breast-conserving surgery and definitive breast irradiation.

PURPOSE: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is increasingly detected as a nonpalpable lesion on mammographic screening performed for the early detection of breast cancer. Because of the growing incidence of mammographically detected DCIS, the present study was undertaken to determine the outcome of treatment of nonpalpable, mammographically detected intraductal carcinoma of the breast using breast-conserving surgery and definitive breast irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analysis was performed of 110 women who presented with unilateral, nonpalpable, mammographically detected intraductal carcinoma of the breast and who were treated with breast-conserving surgery and definitive breast irradiation at 10 institutions in Europe and the United States. In all patients, complete gross excision of the primary tumor was performed, and breast irradiation was delivered with definitive intent. When performed, pathologic axillary lymph node staging was node negative (n=29). The median follow-up time was 9.3 years. RESULTS: The 10-year actuarial overall survival rate was 93%, and the 10-year actuarial cause-specific survival rate was 96%. The 10-year actuarial rate of freedom from distant metastases was 96%. There were 15 local recurrences in the treated breast. The actuarial rate of local failure was 7% at 5 years and 14% at 10 years. The histology of the local recurrence was intraductal carcinoma in 9 cases and invasive ductal carcinoma (with or without associated intraductal carcinoma) in 6 cases. The median time to local recurrence was 5.0 years (mean, 5.4; range, 2.1-15.2). With a median follow-up time of 4.4 years after salvage treatment, 14 of the 15 patients with local recurrence were alive without evidence of disease at the time of last follow-up examination. The crude incidence of local recurrence was 7% (3/42) when the final pathology margin of tumor excision was negative, 29% (5/17) when the margin was close or positive, and 14% (7/51) when the margin was unknown. There was no difference in the rate of local recurrence based on pathologic characteristics of the primary tumor. DISCUSSION: Results from the present study demonstrate high rates of overall survival, cause-specific survival, and freedom from distant metastases at 10 years following the treatment of nonpalpable, mammographically detected DCIS of the breast using breast-conserving surgery and definitive breast irradiation. Local recurrences within the treated breast were detected early and were treated with salvage for cure. These results support the initial treatment of nonpalpable, mammographically detected DCIS of the breast using breast-conserving surgery and definitive breast irradiation. Improvements in patient selection have the potential to reduce the risk of local recurrence.

Adult↗