ecancermedicalscience

Review

Clinical decision making in postmastectomy radiotherapy in node negative breast cancer

26 Sep 2018
Rodrigo Barrientos, Suraj Samtani, Michael Frelinghuysen, Camilo Sotomayor, Juan Guillermo Gormaz, Mauricio Burotto

For decades, postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) has been recommended for node positive [N( )] breast cancer patients; nevertheless, the beneficial effect of PMRT for treatment of node negative [N(−)] disease remains under discussion. Nowadays, the biology of breast cancer and the risk factors (RFs) for locoregional failure (LRF) must be included in the decision on whether or not to carry out PMRT. For these reasons, the present review aims to evaluate the rationale use of PMRT in N(−) patients and discuss which subgroups may further benefit from the treatment in present times where the decision must be personalised, according to the RFs of locoregional recurrence (LRR). To perform the analysis, we ponder that LRR of over 10% should be considered unacceptable due to the fact that LRRs generate great morbidity in patients. For this purpose, we consider that routine RT in these patients is not recommended, although there are subgroups of patients with high LRR, in which PMRT could be beneficial.

Related Articles

Simone P S Lima, Rafael Fernandes-Ferreira, Beatriz J Brait, Franciana L Aguiar, Marcela A S Pinhel, Abner dos Santos Abreu, Renato F Silva, Rita C M A Silva, Doroteia R S Souza
Beatrice P Mushi, Summaiya Haddadi, Alita Mrema, Jerry Ndumbalo, Nanzoke Mvungi, Msiba Selekwa, Julius Mwaiselage, Larry Akoko, Yona Ringo, Rohan Luhar, Rebecca DeBoer, Katherine Van Loon, Elia Mmbaga, Geoffrey C Buckle
Ally H Mwanga, Erick M Mbuguje, Jeanine Justiniano, Balowa Musa, Nashivai Kivuyo, Daniel W Kitua, Eva Uiso, Andrew Swallow, Edith Kimambo, Azza Naif, Deogratius B Mwanakulya, Swaleh Pazi, Advera Ngaiza, Seif Wibonela, Behnam Shaygi, Cameron E Gaskill