[Compliance of patients concerning recommended radiotherapy in breast cancer : Association with recurrence, age, and hormonal therapy]

Timing of radiotherapy following breast-conserving surgery: outcome of 1393 patients at a single institution

BACKGROUND

The role of postoperative radiotherapy in breast-conserving therapy is undisputed. However, optimal timing of adjuvant radiotherapy is an issue of ongoing debate. This retrospective clinical cohort study was performed to investigate the impact of a delay in surgery-radiotherapy intervals on local control and overall survival.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from an unselected cohort of 1393 patients treated at a single institution over a 17-year period (1990-2006) were analyzed. Patients were assigned to two groups (CT+/CT-) according to chemotherapy status. A delay in the initiation of radiotherapy was defined as > 7 weeks (CT- group) and > 24 weeks (CT+ group).

RESULTS

The 10-year regional recurrence-free survival for the CT- and CT+ groups were 95.6 and 86.0 %, respectively. A significant increase in the median surgery-radiotherapy interval was observed over time (CT- patients: median of 5 weeks in 1990-1992 to a median of 6 weeks in 2005-2006; CT+ patients: median of 5 weeks in 1990-1992 to a median of 21 weeks in 2005-2006). There was no association between a delay in radiotherapy and an increased local recurrence rate (CT- group: p = 0.990 for intervals 0-6 weeks vs. ≥ 7 weeks; CT+ group: p = 0.644 for intervals 0-15 weeks vs. ≥ 24 weeks) or decreased overall survival (CT- group: p = 0.386 for intervals 0-6 weeks vs. ≥ 7 weeks; CT+ group: p = 0.305 for intervals 0-15 weeks vs. ≥ 24 weeks).

CONCLUSION

In the present cohort, a delay of radiotherapy was not associated with decreased local control or overall survival in the two groups (CT-/CT+). However, in the absence of randomized evidence, delays in the initiation of radiotherapy should be avoided.

Treatment of primary breast cancer at the surgical unit of the Charité 1984-1998

BACKGROUND

We have analyzed the patient population of one clinic (Charité) over a period of 15 years. Besides the changes in the technical facilities and therapeutical guidelines during these years, this period also reflects the changes in the health system attributable to the reunification of East and West Germany. Until now only few analyses for breast cancer patients from the German speaking area have been reported.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All 2,062 patients undergoing surgical treatment for breast cancer between 1984 and 1998 were documented and followed up until 2007. The analysis included 1,560 patients with a primary breast cancer who fulfilled certain inclusion criteria. The treatment strategies applied to this population are presented in 3 time periods (1984-1990, 1991-1993, and 1994-1998). The effects of prognostic factors on overall survival were investigated using univariate analyses.

RESULTS

The percentage of pT1 tumors changed from 50.7% in the first period to 63.1% in the third period. The percentage of node-negative patients hardly changed with time (on average 61.6%). However, the percentage of patients with less than 10 assessed nodes decreased from 48.4% to 6.7% and 2.5% for the 3 periods, respectively. Therapeutic strategies changed drastically. Survival rate increased substantially, most likely due to improved therapeutic strategies, but also for other reasons not considered in the analysis.

When are breast cancer patients old enough for the quitclaim of local control?

BACKGROUND

Although postoperative radiotherapy (RT) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) halves the 10-year recurrence rate in breast cancer patients through all age groups, the question of whether RT may be omitted and replaced by endocrine therapy for women aged 70 years and older with low-risk factors has recently become an issue of debate.

METHODS

Survey of the relevant recent literature (Medline) and international guidelines.

RESULTS

Three randomized studies investigating the effect of RT in older women revealed significantly increased local recurrence rates when RT was omitted, and a negative impact on disease-free survival was observed in two of these trials. Despite these findings, in one of the studies omission of RT in women over 70 is recommended, leading to a respective amendment in the guidelines of the American National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Several large retrospective cohort studies analyzing the outcome of patients over 65 years with and without RT have since been published and showed a significantly improved local control in all subgroups of advanced age and stage, which predominantly translated into improved disease-free and overall survival.

CONCLUSION

No subgroup of elderly patients has yet been identified that did not profit from RT in terms of local control. Therefore, chronological age alone is not an appropriate criterion for deciding against or in favor of adjuvant RT. The DEGRO breast cancer expert panel explicitly discourages determination of a certain age for the omission of postoperative RT in healthy elderly women with low-risk breast cancer. For frail elderly women, treatment decisions should be individually decided on the basis of standardized geriatric assessment.