POSTOPERATIVE EXTERNAL RADIOTHERAPY IN OPERABLE BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

Between January 1975 and March 1989, 200 female patients (21-75 years of age) with the diagnosis of unilateral breast cancer were irradiated postoperatively in our department. The primary surgical intervention consisted of radical mastectomy in 24.5 %, modified radical mastectomy in 43.5 %, total and simple mastectomies in 31 %, quadrantectomy and wide excision in 1 % of patients. A total dose of 5000-6000 cGy to the chest wall or breast and 5000 cGy to the regional lymphatics was delivered by conventional fractionation using a Cobalt - 60 teletherapy unit. 59 % of the patients had also received adjuvant chemotherapy and hormonal therapy (Combined chemotherapy and hormonal therapy 4%). Meanwhile all Stage I patients are living with no evidence of disease following irradiation. 5 and 10 year disease free survival rates were 59% and 40% in Stage II, and 42% and 31% in Stage III. The tumour size and axillary lymph node involvement were found to have an adverse effect on the prognosis and the type of surgical intervention did not have any influence on the loco-regional relaps free survival rates in patients with T-1 and T-3, 4 tumours.