Multimodal approach in the therapy of stage III female breast cancers

• Published in: Journal of surgical oncology Vol. 28; no. 2; p. 134
• Main Authors: Shanta, V, Krishnamurthi, S, Sastry, D V, Menon, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-1985
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Breast Neoplasms - mortality; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - therapy; Castration; Cobalt Radioisotopes - therapeutic use; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Humans; Mastectomy; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis
• ISSN: 0022-4790
• DOI: 10.1002/jso.2930280214

One thousand thirty-seven female breast cancers were treated at the Cancer Institute (WIA), Madras, between 1965 and 1978. Five hundred twenty-one of them (ie, just over 50%) were in stage III, with extensive local disease, unsuitable for surgery ab initio. Four hundred twelve of them (group A) received radiation therapy (RT) initially and 109 (group B) a combination of radiation and chemotherapy (CT). In 68% of the former and 77% of the latter the tumours became resectable after this preliminary treatment. Radical mastectomy in group A and Patey's mastectomy in group B were performed. The material in these two groups was similar. The five-year survival NED in group A was 45%, and in group B 64.61%. Adequate surgery following RT and CT seemed essential to improve survival. The impact of added chemotherapy (CT) was mainly felt in the node-positive cases.