Current Oncology (Feb 2024)

The Role of Adjuvant Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Breast Cancer

  • Iveta Kolářová,
  • Bohuslav Melichar,
  • Igor Sirák,
  • Jaroslav Vaňásek,
  • Jiří Petera,
  • Kateřina Horáčková,
  • Denisa Pohanková,
  • Filip Ďatelinka,
  • Zuzana Šinkorová,
  • Milan Vošmik

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol31030090
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 31, no. 3
pp. 1207 – 1220

Abstract

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The role of postmastectomy radiotherapy and regional nodal irradiation after radical mastectomy is defined in high-risk patients with locally advanced tumors, positive margins, and unfavorable biology. The benefit of postmastectomy radiotherapy in intermediate-risk patients (T3N0 tumors) remains a matter of controversy. It has been demonstrated that radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery lowers the locoregional recurrence rate compared with surgery alone and improves the overall survival rate. In patients with four or more positive lymph nodes or extracapsular extension, regional lymph node irradiation is indicated regardless of the surgery type (breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy). Despite the consensus that patients with more than three positive lymph nodes should be treated with radiotherapy, there is controversy regarding the recommendations for patients with one to three involved lymph nodes. In patients with N0 disease with negative findings on axillary surgery, there is a trend to administer regional lymph node irradiation in patients with a high risk of recurrence. In patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy and mastectomy, adjuvant radiotherapy should be administered in cases of clinical stage III and/or ≥ypN1. In patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy and breast-conserving surgery, postoperative radiotherapy is indicated irrespective of pathological response.

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