The role of post-mastectomy radiotherapy in elderly patients with 1-3 positive lymph nodes breast cancer: An International Retrospective Double-Center Study

Breast J. 2019 Jan;25(1):107-111. doi: 10.1111/tbj.13163. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Abstract

This study evaluated the role of post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in 111 patients with 1-3 positive nodes, aged 65 years or above between 2007 and 2013. In total, 64 received PMRT. The PMRT group had more aggressive tumor. Three patients suffered locoregional recurrences in each group at median follow-up of 50 months. PMRT has no significant impact on distant disease-free survival (DDRFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). In patients with tumors >5 cm, PMRT significantly improved DDRFS, RFS, and marginally prolonged OS. These results supported that PMRT should not be compromised in all elderly patients, especially in those with tumor >5 cm.

Keywords: breast cancer; elderly patients; one to three positive lymph nodes; post-mastectomy radiotherapy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology*
  • Lymphatic Metastasis / pathology
  • Mastectomy
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Postoperative Period
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / methods