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Clinical studies on the use of radiation therapy as primary treatment of early breast cancer

The treatment of operable breast cancer by primary radiation therapy instead of mastectomy is undergoing evaluation in the United States and Europe. Retrospective studies of patients treated by primary radiation therapy show that local control and survival rates are comparable to those obtained by mastectomy. Detailed analysis of local failure following primary radiation therapy indicates the importance of excisional biopsy of the primary tumor, moderate doses of radiation to the breast and draining lymph node areas, and the use of a boost to the primary tumor area in maximizing local control. Further, the judicious use of local excision combined with meticulous radiotherapy technique yields highly satisfactory results for the majority of treated patients. Preliminary results from prospective trials also indicate that primary radiation therapy provides both local control and survival rates equivalent to mastectomy. Primary radiation therapy is becoming an increasingly important alternative to mastectomy where surgical and radiotherapeutic expertise are available to optimize both local tumor control and the final cosmetic outcome.