Cancer Res Treat.  2022 Apr;54(2):497-504. 10.4143/crt.2021.933.

Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy for Node-Negative Breast Cancer of 5 cm or Larger Tumors: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis (KROG 20-03)

• Kim K
• Jung J
• Kim H
• Jung W
• Shin KH
• Chang JH
• Kim SS
• Park W
• Chang JS
• Kim YB
• Ahn SJ
• Lee IJ
• Lee JH
• Park HJ
• Cha J
• Kim J
• Choi JH
• Koo T
• Kwon J
• Kim JH
• Kim MY
• Park SH
• Kim YJ

• KMID: 2528219
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2021.933

Abstract

Purpose
To evaluate the role of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) in patients with node-negative breast cancer of 5cm or larger tumors undergoing mastectomy
Materials and Methods
Medical records of 274 patients from 18 institutions treated with mastectomy between January 2000 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Among these, 202 patients underwent PMRT, while 72 did not. Two hundred and forty-one patients (88.0%) received systemic chemotherapy, and 172 (62.8%) received hormonal therapy. Patients receiving PMRT were younger, more likely to have progesterone receptor-positive tumors, and received adjuvant chemotherapy more frequently compared with those without PMRT (p <0.001, 0.018, and <0.001, respectively). Other characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups.
Results
With a median follow-up of 95 months (range, 1-249), there were 9 locoregional recurrences, and 20 distant metastases. The 8-year locoregional recurrence-free survival rates were 98.0% with PMRT and 91.3% without PMRT (p=0.133), and the 8-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 91.8% with PMRT and 73.9% without PMRT (p=0.008). On multivariate analysis incorporating age, histologic grade, lymphovascular invasion, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and PMRT, the absence of lymphovascular invasion and the receipt of PMRT were associated with improved DFS (p=0.025 and 0.009, respectively).
Conclusion
Locoregional recurrence rate was very low in node-negative breast cancer of 5cm or larger tumors treated with mastectomy regardless of the receipt of PMRT. However, PMRT was significantly associated with improved DFS. Further investigation is needed to confirm these findings.

Keyword

Breast neoplasms; ≥ 5 cm; Node-negative; Mastectomy; Radiotherapy

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Locoregional recurrence-free survival curves according to the receipt of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT).

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  Fig. 2 Disease-free survival curves according to the receipt of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT).

Reference

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