Fl. Ampil et al., Radiotherapy with and without chemotherapy after breast conservation surgery for early stage breast cancer: a review of timing, EUR J GYN O, 20(4), 1999, pp. 254-257
Purpose: To evaluate the effects in women of the timing of breast irradiati
on (BI) in relation to the application or non-application of adjuvant chemo
therapy after breast conservation surgery (BCS) for early stage cancer.
Methods: Between October 1981 and June 1995, 47 women with stage I and II b
reast cancer underwent BCS. Twenty-six patients did not receive adjuvant ch
emotherapy (NAC) and 21 women did (AC). In the NAC group, BI commenced with
in (n=9) or after (n=17) seven weeks following BCS; in the AC group, 18 wom
en received BI more than 24 weeks after BCS and three patients within 24 we
eks.
Results: In the NAC group, there was a trend toward more local and systemic
failures plus a definite correlation with poorer survival (p=0.05) when BI
was initiated more than 7 weeks after BCS. In the AC group, the locoregion
al and systemic failures occurred only in women with a delay of BI exceedin
g 24 weeks; survival was not different between the subgroups.
Conclusion: An undue delay of BI should be avoided in patients after BCS wh
ether they require adjuvant chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer or n
ot.