Prognostic index score and clinical prediction model of local regional recurrence after mastectomy in breast cancer patients

PURPOSE: To develop clinical prediction models for local regional recurrence (LRR) of breast carcinoma after mastectomy that will be superior to the conventional measures of tumor size and nodal status. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Clinical information from 1,010 invasive breast cancer patients who had primary modified radical mastectomy formed the database of the training and testing of clinical prognostic and prediction models of LRR. Cox proportional hazards analysis and Bayesian tree analysis were the core methodologies from which these models were built. To generate a prognostic index model, 15 clinical variables were examined for their impact on LRR. Patients were stratified by lymph node involvement (<4 vs. >or =4) and local regional status (recurrent vs. control) and then, within strata, randomly split into training and test data sets of equal size. To establish prediction tree models, 255 patients were selected by the criteria of having had LRR (53 patients) or no evidence of LRR without postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) (202 patients). RESULTS: With these models, patients can be divided into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups on the basis of axillary nodal status, estrogen receptor status, lymphovascular invasion, and age at diagnosis. In the low-risk group, there is no influence of PMRT on either LRR or survival. For intermediate-risk patients, PMRT improves LR control but not metastases-free or overall survival. For the high-risk patients, however, PMRT improves both LR control and metastasis-free and overall survival. CONCLUSION: The prognostic score and predictive index are useful methods to estimate the risk of LRR in breast cancer patients after mastectomy and for estimating the potential benefits of PMRT. These models provide additional information criteria for selection of patients for PMRT, compared with the traditional selection criteria of nodal status and tumor size.     

When May Adjuvant Radiotherapy be Avoided in Operable Breast Cancer?

Randomised trials in which the omission of radiotherapy has been tested after breast-conserving surgery, with or without adjuvant systemic therapy, show a significant four- to five-fold reduction in local recurrence. As yet, no subgroup of women managed by breast-conserving surgery has been identified from whom radiotherapy can be withheld. Few randomised data have been published on the effect of omission of radiotherapy on local control, quality of life and costs, particularly in older women for whom the risk of local recurrence is generally lower. Ongoing trials are evaluating the role of radiotherapy in this population of low risk, older women. Adjuvant radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy significantly reduces the incidence of local recurrence. In women who have had a mastectomy at high risk of recurrence (> 20% risk of recurrence at 10 years), adjuvant radiotherapy improves survival if combined with adjuvant systemic therapy. Among women with T3 tumours, and those with four or more involved axillary nodes treated by mastectomy, postoperative radiotherapy is the standard of care. For women at intermediate risk of recurrence (i.e. <15% 10-year risk of recurrence after surgery and systemic therapy alone), with one to three involved nodes or node negative with other risk factors, the role of radiotherapy is unclear. Clinical trials to assess the role of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in this setting are needed. For pT1-2, pNO tumours without other risk factors, there is no evidence at present that PMRT is needed.     

T1-2N1M0早期乳腺癌术后放射治疗的研究进展

乳腺癌是危害女性健康的常见疾病,术后放疗(PMRT)可以提高患者生存率,减少乳腺癌转移及复发率,是治疗乳腺癌的重要方法。术后放疗对1~3个淋巴结阳性乳腺癌的治疗效果及预后影响仍是当前的讨论热点。本文就高危因素、分子分型、21基因检测、预后营养指数等对T1-2N1M0早期乳腺癌术后放疗的指导意义作一综述。     

Decision-analytic model and cost-effectiveness evaluation of postmastectomy radiation therapy in high-risk premenopausal breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: To present a decision model that describes the clinical and economic outcomes of node-positive breast cancer with and without postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT). METHODS: A Markov process was constructed to project the natural history of breast cancer following mastectomy in premenopausal node-positive women. Biannual hazards of local and distant recurrence without PMRT were derived from a large meta-analysis of adjuvant systemic therapy trials for breast cancer. The addition of PMRT reduced the risk of disease relapse by an odds ratio of 0.69. Costs of PMRT ($11,600) and recurrent breast cancer ($4,250 to 16,200/year) were estimated from available literature. The model projected number of recurrences, relapse-free and overall survival, and costs to 15 years, using a discount rate of 3%. Cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated per incremental year of life and quality-adjusted year of life gained. One- and two-way sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the sensitivity of results to clinical and economic assumptions. RESULTS: The model projected 15-year relapse-free survival of 52% and 43% with and without PMRT, respectively. Overall survival was increased from 48% to 55% with PMRT, resulting in an incremental 0.29 years of life gained per subject. PMRT increased 15-year costs from $40,800 to $48,100. Cost per year of life gained was $24,900, or $22,600 when survival was adjusted for quality of life. Results of the model were relatively sensitive to radiation therapy cost and breast cancer relapse risk. CONCLUSION: This analysis suggests that PMRT offers substantial clinical benefits achieved in a cost-effective manner, with an average cost per year of life gained of $24,900. Results of the model were robust under a wide range of clinical and economic parameters.     

Adjuvant chest wall radiotherapy for breast cancer: Black,white and shades of grey

Background

Adjuvant chest wall irradiation after mastectomy remains a core and highly effective element in the loco-regional management of early breast cancer. While the evidence base for postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in patients with 4 or more involved axillary nodes is robust, its role in ‘intermediate’ risk patients with 1–3 involved nodes is unclear and practice varies. Traditionally patients have been selected for PMRT on the basis of clinic-pathological factors such tumour size, nodal status, tumour grade and presence of lymphovascular invasion. However these factors alone may not predict the response of individual patients to radiotherapy. There is recent evidence that biological factors such as oestrogen and progesterone receptor and HER-2 status may also influence survival as well as loco-regional control.

Methods

A literature review was undertaken, searching Pubmed using the mesh heading of ‘breast cancer’ and ‘adjuvant chest wall irradiation/radiotherapy’. Priority was given to reports of meta-analyses and randomised trials of postmastectomy radiotherapy.

Observations

The 2005 Oxford Overview of randomised trials of postoperative radiotherapy established a clear biological link between loco-regional control and survival. Paradoxically the largest survival benefits do not occur in patients at the highest risk of recurrence. Molecular markers to identify exactly which patients are likely to benefit from PMRT are being actively investigated. Surgeons are encouraged to enter patients with 1–3 involved nodes into a clinical trial of postmastectomy radiotherapy.     

Does post-mastectomy radiotherapy represent a contraindication to skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction: an update

The use of skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) to facilitate breast reconstruction is increasing due to a wide acceptance of improved cosmetic outcomes and evidence of equivalence in oncologic outcomes. The rates of patients undergoing mastectomy for whom post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) will be recommended is increasing as evidence of decreased loco-regional recurrence and increased survival mounts. PMRT may adversely effect complication rates and cosmetic outcomes for patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction and PMRT--although the evidence for this is methodologically flawed. This article summarises the above evidence and highlights a reconstructive algorithm that may be used to mitigate the possible deleterious effects of PMRT on results.     

Postmastectomy radiation therapy for lymph node-negative, locally advanced breast cancer after modified radical mastectomy: analysis of the NCI Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database

BACKGROUND: The role of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) for lymph node-negative locally advanced breast carcinoma (T3N0M0) after modified radical mastectomy (MRM) with regard to improvement in survival remains an area of controversy. METHODS: The 1973-2004 National Cancer Institute (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was examined for patients with T3N0M0 ductal, lobular, or mixed ductal and lobular carcinoma of the breast who underwent MRM, treated from 1988-2003. Patients who were men, who had positive lymph nodes, who survived < or =6 months, for whom breast cancer was not the first malignancy, who had nonbeam radiation, intraoperative or preoperative radiation were excluded. The average treatment effect of PMRT on mortality was estimated with a propensity score case-matched analysis. RESULTS: In all, 1777 patients were identified; 568 (32%) patients received PMRT. Median tumor size was 6.3 cm. The median number of lymph nodes examined was 14 (range, 1-49). Propensity score matched case-control analysis showed no improvement in overall survival with the delivery of PMRT in this group. Older patients, patients with ER- disease (compared with ER+), and patients with high-grade tumors (compared with well differentiated) had increased mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The use of PMRT for T3N0M0 breast carcinoma after MRM is not associated with an increase in overall survival. It was not possible to analyze local control in this study given the limitations of the SEER database. The impact of potential improvement in local control as it relates to overall survival should be the subject of further investigation.     

乳腺癌分子分型与放射治疗相关性的研究进展

乳腺癌术后放疗可以降低局部复发率,且对于高危乳腺癌患者的长期生存有积极的影响。当前乳腺癌放射治疗的精准性主要依赖于不同的放疗技术、肿瘤的临床分期及病理类型。但随着乳腺癌研究的深入,要进一步提升乳腺癌术后放疗的精准性,乳腺癌本身的生物学特性应该得到重视。据相关文献报道,不同分子分型的乳腺癌其局部复发率有显著差异。因此乳腺癌的分子分型对放疗计划的制定有极为重要的指导意义。本文针对当前乳腺癌分子分型与肿瘤局部复发风险关系的相关研究以及乳腺癌分子分型指导放射治疗的临床进展作一综述。     

局部晚期乳腺癌新辅助化疗和改良根治术后放疗价值分析

目的 分析局部晚期乳腺癌患者neoCT和改良根治术后放疗的价值,以及探讨能否根据化疗疗效进行个体化放疗。 方法 选取本院1999—2013年收治的临床Ⅲ_A、Ⅲ_B期乳腺癌病例,完成neoCT和改良根治术的 523例纳入分析,其中 404例术后行放疗,119例未行放疗。用Kaplan-Meier法计算复发率和生存率,Logrank法单因素预后分析,Cox模型多因素预后分析。 结果 放疗组患者 5年LRR显著低于未放疗组(13.9%∶24.8%,P=0.013),DFS显著高于未放疗组(64.1%∶53.9%,P=0.048),OS相近(83.2%∶78.2%,P=0.389)。ypT₃—T₄、ypN₂—N₃以及病理Ⅲ期亚组中放疗患者 5年LRR显著低于未放疗患者(P<0.05),放疗患者 5年OS显著高于未放疗患者(P<0.05)。158例ypN₀期放疗患者 5年LRR显著低于未放疗患者(P=0.004)。41例ypCR患者仅 2例LRR,均未放疗。多因素分析显示放疗是影响全组及ypN₀期患者LRR的因素。 结论 放疗显著降低临Ⅲ_A、Ⅲ_B期乳腺癌neoCT和改良根治术后患者LRR,同时降低ypT₃—T₄、ypN₂—N₃和病理Ⅲ期亚组患者复发率、死亡率。目前尚无充足证据可以根据化疗反应免除ypN₀期和pCR患者术后放疗。     

局部区域复发乳腺癌的治疗进展

和初治的乳腺癌相比,局部区域复发性患者的预后分析和挽救治疗策略选择存在更多的不确定性。本文首先分析了影响保乳手术和乳房切除术后局部-区域复发的高危因素以及相应的复发模式。以再次手术和包括完整复发灶及相应亚临床病灶的放射治疗为主要形式的局部治疗是综合治疗策略的基础,合理的局部治疗可以达到有效的局部疾病控制率并降低二次局部区域复发。虽然既往的前瞻性或回顾性资料对于全身治疗在局部-区域复发乳腺癌治疗中的价值始终没有确认,由多个国际乳腺癌研究组织联合发起的CALOR研究结果的公布第一次证实,在保留合理的内分泌治疗和靶向治疗的前提下,手术+放射治疗联合后续的全身化疗可以进一步提高无病生存率和总生存率,尤其在激素受体阴性的患者中获益更显著。所以结合原发病灶和复发灶的肿瘤标志物给予合理的全身治疗将成为局部区域复发患者综合治疗重要的组成部分。     

Postmastectomy locoregional radiotherapy: is it here to stay?

Postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) clearly reduces the risk of locoregional recurrence for patients with invasive breast cancer with involved axillary lymph nodes. For many years it has been controversial whether or not it also decreases the risks of distant failure and, ultimately, death due to cancer, especially for patients receiving systemic therapy. There is now clear evidence that PMRT confers such benefits. However, published series vary substantially in describing the incidence of locoregional failure (LRF) following mastectomy with regards to particular patient subsets (such as those defined by the number of involved axillary nodes). Details of surgery and systemic therapy also affect this risk. This chapter will review the available data on these subjects, as well as their interpretation and clinical use. Much remains uncertain with regards to the benefits of PMRT in specific situations. Nonetheless, it appears that PMRT is indeed "here to stay." Semin Oncol 28:245-252.     

Radiotherapy Can Improve the Disease‐Free Survival Rate in Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer Patients with T1–T2 Disease and One to Three Positive Lymph Nodes After Mastectomy

Purpose.

Several studies have demonstrated poor locoregional control in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), compared with other molecular subtypes of breast cancer. We sought to evaluate whether or not postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) improves locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) outcomes in TNBC patients.

Methods and Materials.

Between January 2000 and July 2007, 553 TNBC patients treated with modified radical mastectomy from a single institution were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were categorized into three groups: low risk (stage T1–T2N0), intermediate risk (stage T1–T2N1), and high risk (stage T3–T4 and/or N2–N3). Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association between PMRT and LRFS and DFS times after adjusting for other clinicopathologic covariates.

Results.

With a median follow-up of 65 months (range, 1–140 months), 51 patients (9.2%) developed locoregional recurrence and 135 patients (24.4%) experienced disease recurrence. On multivariate analysis, PMRT was associated with significantly longer LRFS and DFS times in the entire cohort. In the intermediate-risk group, PMRT was associated with a longer DFS time but not with the LRFS interval. In the high-risk group, PMRT was associated with significantly longer LRFS and DFS times.

Conclusion.

PMRT is associated with longer LRFS and DFS times in high-risk TNBC patients and a longer DFS time in intermediate-risk TNBC patients. Prospective randomized studies are needed to investigate the best locoregional treatment approaches for patients with this molecular subtype of breast cancer.     

Locoregional recurrence risk factors in breast cancer patients with positive axillary lymph nodes and the impact of postmastectomy radiotherapy

Background

Locoregional recurrence (LRR) after mastectomy reduces the patient’s quality of life and survival. There is a consensus that postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) helps establish locoregional control and reduces LRR in patients with ≥4 metastatic nodes. However, in patients with 1–3 metastatic nodes, the incidence of LRR and the role of PMRT have been the subject of substantial controversy. This study assessed the risk factors for LRR and the efficacy of PMRT in Japanese breast cancer patients with metastatic nodes.

Methods

This study analyzed 789 cases of invasive breast carcinoma with metastatic nodes from 1998 to 2008. We divided the study population into 4 groups: 1–3 positive nodes with/without chemotherapy and ≥4 positive nodes with/without chemotherapy. Risk factors for LRR were identified and the relationship between LRR and PMRT was analyzed.

Results

During the median follow-up of 59.6 months, 61 (7.7%) patients experienced LRR. In patients who received chemotherapy, independent LRR risk factors were high nuclear grade, severe lymphatic invasion, vascular invasion, and progesterone receptor-negative status in patients with 1–3 positive nodes, and severe lymphatic invasion and estrogen receptor-negative status in patients with ≥4 nodes. Although patients treated with PMRT had good outcomes, there was no significant difference, and PMRT did not significantly improve the outcome of the patients with all risk factors.

Conclusions

With systemic therapy and adequate dissection, PMRT by itself was of limited value in establishing locoregional control. The indication for PMRT in patients with 1–3 positive nodes remains controversial.     

Postmastectomy radiotherapy reduces locoregional recurrence in elderly women with high-risk breast cancer

AimsClinical trials of adjuvant radiotherapy after mastectomy have largely excluded women aged 70 years or over, even though they comprise 30% of the breast cancer population. This study examined outcomes in elderly women with high-risk breast cancer treated with or without postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT).Materials and methodsData were analysed for 233 women aged 70 years or over with high-risk breast cancer (tumours >5 cm or ≥4 positive axillary nodes) treated with mastectomy and referred to the British Columbia Cancer Agency from 1989 to 1997. Tumour and treatment characteristics were compared between two cohorts: women treated with PMRT (n = 147) vs women treated without PMRT (n = 86). Univariate and multivariate analyses of 10-year Kaplan–Meier locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant recurrence, breast cancer-specific survival and overall survival were carried out.ResultsMedian follow-up time was 5.5 years. The distribution of tumour sizes was similar in the two groups. Compared with women treated without PMRT, higher proportions of women who underwent PMRT had four or more positive nodes (83% vs 67%, P = 0.01) and positive surgical margins (14% vs 4%, P = 0.02). Systemic therapy, used in 94% of women, was comparable in the two cohorts (P = 0.63). Elderly women treated with PMRT had significantly lower LRR compared with women treated without PMRT (16% vs 28%, P = 0.03). No differences in distant recurrence, breast cancer-specific survival or overall survival were observed in the two treatment groups (all P > 0.05). On multivariate analysis, the omission of PMRT and the presence of high-grade histology were significant predictors of LRR, whereas an increasing number of positive nodes was significantly associated with distant recurrence and overall survival.ConclusionsIn women aged 70 years or over with tumours greater than 5 cm or four or more positive nodes, significantly lower LRR was observed in women treated with radiotherapy compared with women treated without radiotherapy. PMRT should be considered in the management of elderly women with these high-risk characteristics.     

术后放疗对局部淋巴结阳性行保乳手术的乳腺癌患者临床预后的影响

目的 研究术后放疗对局部淋巴结阳性行保乳手术的乳腺癌患者临床预后的影响.方法 选择行保乳手术治疗并且出现局部淋巴结转移的84例乳腺癌患者,均于保乳手术后进行放疗.观察患者的5年和10年生存率、无瘤生存率、无远处转移生存率、无局部复发生存率;并分析影响预后的因素.结果 患者的5年生存率为97.62%、无远处转移生存率为95.24%、无瘤生存率为94.05%、无局部复发生存率为95.24%;10年生存率为86.90%、无远处转移生存率为85.71%、无瘤生存率为82.14%、无局部复发生存率为85.71%.经过单因素分析发现,有无术后辅助化疗、有无术后放疗以及清扫淋巴结总数均为影响局部复发的危险因素;经过多因素COX回归分析发现,术后放疗是降低局部复发的惟一影响因素.结论 术后放疗有利于改善局部淋巴结阳性行保乳手术的乳腺癌患者的临床预后情况,可以有效提高生存率,降低局部复发率,在保乳术后具有重要作用,值得应用推广.     

The role of radiotherapy in patients undergoing mastectomy for carcinoma of the breast

Several factors, including T stage, nodal involvement, grade, the presence of lymphovascular invasion, and possibly involved or close surgical margins, have been found to affect local recurrence after mastectomy. The majority of recurrences will occur in the first 5 years and 50% of patients will have metastatic disease at the time of recurrence. Early studies on the use of adjuvant radiotherapy are difficult to interpret owing to poor radiotherapy techniques, inadequate dose or a variety of confounding variables within a particular trial. More recent reports have confirmed that adjuvant radiotherapy will reduce the risk of local recurrence and in tumours of <5 cm with involved nodes, produce a reduction in breast cancer deaths. Improvements in breast cancer mortality may however be counterbalanced by increases in cardiac events and deaths caused by second malignancies. This stresses the importance of using megavoltage irradiation and avoiding excess cardiac doses particularly when treating left-sided tumours. Adjuvant radiotherapy combined with tamoxifen has been shown to produce an improvement in both local control and survival in postmenopausal node-positive patients who have undergone mastectomy. Adjuvant radiation combined with systemic chemotherapy has a significant effect on local recurrence and probably on survival in node-positive patients after mastectomy. There is little controversy over its role in patients with tumours >5 cm, with more than four nodes involved or with one to three nodes with extracapsular extension, or in those in whom axillary surgery has been deemed inadequate (i.e. <10 nodes). Debate still exists concerning T1/T2, G1/G2 tumours with only one to three nodes involved when the axillary surgery has been satisfactory (>10 nodes). The ongoing Intergroup trial may answer this question but until then other factors such as tumour grade and the presence of lymphovascular invasion can be included in the equation to determine which of the patients in the latter group should receive postoperative radiotherapy. Controversy still exists about what fields should be irradiated and in particular whether the supraclavicular fossa and internal mammary node chain should be included in adjuvant therapy. The EORTC is presently conducting a randomized trial, which should give us the answer. Treatment at relapse on the chest wall may require a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, depending on previous therapy. If radiotherapy has not previously been used, then wide-field irradiation should be administered, including both chest wall and supraclavicular fossa with or without the axilla, depending on the extent of previous axillary surgery and the risk of lymphoedema. Re-irradiation after radical adjuvant radiotherapy can be considered only for selected patients when an adequate discussion with them has taken place with regard to the relative benefits versus toxicity.     

靶向治疗对HER-2阳性改良根治术后未放疗乳腺癌患者复发影响——单中心大宗病例倾向评分匹配回顾分析

目的 评估乳腺癌抗HER-2靶向治疗的局部区域作用及对放疗决策的影响。方法 回顾分析2009-2014年本中心诊治的HER-2阳性、改良根治术后未放疗患者 1398例,其中接受辅助靶向者 370例。靶向治疗以单药曲妥珠单抗为主。结果 接受靶向治疗显著改善无瘤生存、总生存,也降低局部区域复发(LRR),多因素分析发现靶向治疗提高LRRFS (P=0.06)。倾向评分匹配其他预后因素后,有、无靶向治疗 5年LRR率分别为4.4%、6.6%(P=0.070)。亚组分析显示靶向治疗的局控优势在病理分级Ⅰ-Ⅱ级患者中显著(2.5%、5.9%,P=0.046);而原本需考虑放疗的亚组(pN1)靶向治疗后复发风险依旧相对高,有、无靶向治疗 5年LRR率分别为8.2%、12.3%(P=0.150)。激素受体阳性者靶向治疗的获益明显。接受靶向治疗且有良好预后因素的患者 5年LRR率可在5%以下。结论 以单药曲妥珠单抗为主的抗HER-2靶向治疗可提高改良根治术后患者LRRFS,但有放疗适应证的患者因复发率较高暂不能免于放疗,新开展的双单抗辅助靶向有望进一步改善局控,亦需进一步亚组分析寻找低危患者。     

Optimizing locoregional control and survival for women with breast cancer: a review of current developments in postmastectomy radiotherapy

For women who opt for mastectomy as primary surgery in breast cancer, indications for adjuvant radiotherapy are also being redefined in light of evidence demonstrating that postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT), when given in conjunction with systemic therapy, improves, not only locoregional control, but also survival. However, in certain settings, particularly in patients wih intermediate-risk disease, and in some patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the role of PMRT remains controversial. Here, the authors review modern data pertaining to the benefits and risks of PMRT and discuss controversies related to the indications for PMRT, focusing on patients with T1–2 breast cancer with 0–3 positive nodes and patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. They also summarize key issues related to the integration of PMRT with other treatment modalities.     

腋窝淋巴结1～3个转移的早期乳腺癌根治术后放疗的临床价值

Background and Objective:The role of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in breast cancer patients with T1-T2 tumors and 1-3 positive axillary nodes is still uncertain. This study investigated the value of PMRT for these patients. Methods:In the retrospective data of 488 eligible patients, survival analysis was performed using the KaplanMeier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using a log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazards model, respectively. Results:The median observation time was 54 months. The 5- and 10-year Iocoregional recurrencefree survival (LRFS) rates were 90.8% and 86.9%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 82.0% and 74.3%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates were 90.7% and 82.7%, respectively. For the 412 patients without PMRT, T2 classification, 2-3 positive nodes, and hormone (estrogen and progeeterone) receptornegative were risk factors for locoregional recurrence in the multivariate analysis. On the basis of these 3 risk factors, the group with 2-3 factors had a 10-year LRFS rate of 63.1% compared with 96.1% for the group with 0-1 factors (P<0.001＝.For the group with 2-3 risk factors, LRFS and DFS were significantly improved by PMRT, with the 5- and 10-year LRFS rates without PMRT of 82.4% and 63.1%, respectively, and, with PMRT, of 98.1% at both 5 years and 10 years (P =0.002). The 5- and 10-year DFS rates without PMRT were 72.0% and 57.6%, respectively, and, with PMRT, the 5- and 10-year DFS rates were 89.4% and 81.7%, respectively (P = 0.007). There was no significant difference in the 10-year OS rates between patients with and without PMRT. However, there is the potential benefit of 15.3% (87.1% vs. 71.8%, P =0.072). Conversely, the group with 0-1 factors of PMRT had no effect on prognosis. Conclusions:In patients receiving mastectomy with T1-T2 breast cancer with 1-3 positive nodes, for the group with 2-3 risk factors, PMRT significantly improved LRFS and DFS and has potential benefit in OS.     

Objection to postoperative radiation therapy in breast cancer with one to three lymph nodes involvements

My arguments regarding postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) for this case are based on the following 4 reasons: (1) high rate of local recurrence in the no PMRT group in the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group meta-analysis on which the present guideline is based, (2) stage migration by sentinel node biopsy, (3) possible adverse events of radiotherapy, and (4) problems on extrapolation of data from western countries.