Current Status of Radiotherapy for the Management of Regional Nodes in Breast Cancer

Clin Breast Cancer. 2016 Feb;16(1):1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clbc.2015.09.011. Epub 2015 Sep 25.

Abstract

Worldwide, breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in women. Breast cancer constitutes about 23% of invasive cancers in women. The management of breast cancer depends on various factors, including the cancer stage and patient age. Breast cancer is usually treated with surgery, which can be followed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or both. Until recently, the standard procedure for axillary study was axillary dissection. Sentinel lymph node biopsy has been validated as a less-aggressive axillary treatment without an impact on survival. In the present report, we review the current management of the axillary lymph nodes, especially from the viewpoint of an oncology radiotherapist.

Keywords: Axilla management; Lymphadenectomy; Regional radiotherapy; Sentinel lymph node biopsy; Sentinel node biopsy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis / radiotherapy*
  • Radiation Oncology / trends*
  • Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy