Our expert highlights the most important research articles across the spectrum of topics relevant to the field of breast cancer radiotherapy management

摘要

Partial breast irradiation (PBI) is an alternative radiotherapy method after breast-conserving surgery. Radiotherapy of the tumor bed that only spares the majority of the operated breast and the lymph nodes is not recommended by the consensus guidelines for high-risk cases such as the subgroup of node-positive patients. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to study the outcome of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in Nlmi and Nl breast cancer cases. Local, regional, sole axillary relapse and breast cancer-specific survival were studied in 534 patients including 39 with node-positive disease, who were irradiated with either brachytherapy or con-formal external radiotherapy. At 5 years, no difference occurred in the rates of local or solitary axillary relapse, while regional relapse and distant metastasis were more frequent among the node-positive patients. Survival was similar. Based on these findings, the authors conclude that nodal posi-tivity does not seem to be a negative prognostic factor of local control after APBI, and point to the need for the continuation of the enrollment of the node-positive cases in the ongoing Phase III trials with PBI.