Postoperative chest node irradiation extends life in low relapse-risk breast cancer

AMSTERDAM—Postoperative radiotherapy to the internal mammary and supraclavicular lymph nodes in women whose breast cancer has been successfully treated and are at low risk of relapse could save lives in the long term, according to research findings reported at the 2013 European Cancer Conference in Amsterdam (September 30th to October 1st). Patients who had one or more nodes involved, or had a centrally located tumor had a significant reduction in the risk of dying when treated with chest nodal irradiation in the EORTC Cancer Groups phase III trial 22922-10925 with 4004 patients recruited between 1996 – 2004 who were followed for a median of 11 years. Dr Philip Poortmans from the Institute Verbeeten in Tilburg, Netherlands, gave AudioMedica.com the details. Professor Ian Kunkler from Edinburgh University and Professor John Yarnold from the Institute of Cancer Research in London added comments. Peter Goodwin and Sarah Maxwell report.