Nodal Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Predicts Receipt of Radiation Therapy after Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Among breast-cancer patients presenting with cN1 disease, nodal pathologic complete response (ypN0) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) was associated with decreased likelihood of post-mastectomy and post-lumpectomy nodal radiation (NRT). There was no survival benefit associated with nodal (vs no) radiation in ypN0 patients post-mastectomy, but benefit approached significance among ypN1 patients. NRT was associated with improved survival for ypN0 and ypN1 patients post-lumpectomy but this benefit was not significantly greater than that conferred by breast-only radiation.
Source: International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics - Category: Radiology Authors: Source Type: research