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A systematic overview of radiation therapy effects in breast cancer

Rutqvist, L E ; Rose, Carsten LU and Cavallin-Ståhl, Eva LU (2003) In Acta Oncologica 42(5-6). p.532-545
Abstract
A systematic review of radiation therapy trials in several turnout types was performed by The Swedish Council of Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). The procedures for evaluation of the scientific literature are described separately (Acta Oncol 2003; 42: 357-365). This synthesis of the literature on radiation therapy for breast cancer is based on data from 29 randomized trials, 6 meta-analyses and 5 retrospective studies. In total, 40 scientific articles are included, involving 41204 patients. The results were compared with those of a similar overview from 1996 including 285982 patients. The conclusions reached can be summarized as follows: There is strong evidence for a substantial reduction in locoregional recurrence rate... (More)
A systematic review of radiation therapy trials in several turnout types was performed by The Swedish Council of Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). The procedures for evaluation of the scientific literature are described separately (Acta Oncol 2003; 42: 357-365). This synthesis of the literature on radiation therapy for breast cancer is based on data from 29 randomized trials, 6 meta-analyses and 5 retrospective studies. In total, 40 scientific articles are included, involving 41204 patients. The results were compared with those of a similar overview from 1996 including 285982 patients. The conclusions reached can be summarized as follows: There is strong evidence for a substantial reduction in locoregional recurrence rate following postmastectomy radiation therapy to the chest wall and the regional nodal areas. There is strong evidence that postmastectomy radiation therapy increases the disease-free survival rate. There are conflicting data regarding the impact of postmastectomy radiotherapy upon overall survival. There is strong evidence that breast cancer specific survival is improved by postmastectomy radiotherapy. There is strong evidence for a decrease in non-breast cancer specific survival after postmastectomy radiotherapy. There is some evidence that overall survival is increased by optimal postmastectomy radiation therapy. There is strong evidence that postmastectomy radiotherapy in addition to surgery and systemic therapy in mainly node-positive patients decreases local recurrence rate and improves survival. There is moderate evidence that the decrease in non-breast cancer specific survival is attributed to cardiovascular disease in irradiated patients. There are conflicting data whether breast conservation surgery plus radiotherapy is comparable to modified radical mastectomy alone in terms of local recurrence rate. There is strong evidence that breast conservation surgery plus radiotherapy is comparable to modified radical mastectomy alone in terms of disease-free survival and overall survival. There is strong evidence that postoperative radiotherapy to the breast following breast conservation surgery results in a statistically and clinically significant reduction of ipsilateral breast recurrences followed by diminished need for salvage mastectomies. There is strong evidence that the omission of postoperative radiotherapy to the breast following breast conservation surgery has no impact on overall survival. In one meta-analysis including three randomized studies a survival advantage is demonstrated by Bayesian statistics. There is strong evidence that the addition of a radiation boost after conventional radiotherapy to the turnout bed after breast conservation surgery significantly decreases the risk of ipsilateral breast recurrences but has no impact on overall survival after short follow-up. There is strong evidence for the use of postoperative radiotherapy to the breast following breast conservation surgery for DCIS (ductal breast cancer in situ). Radiotherapy leads to a clinically and statistically significant reduction of both non-invasive and invasive ipsilateral breast recurrences. There is insufficient evidence to define the optimal integration of systemic adjuvant therapy and postoperative radiotherapy. There are limited data on radiotherapy-related morbidity in breast cancer. No conclusions can be drawn. (Less)
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Acta Oncologica
volume
42
issue
5-6
pages
532 - 545
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000185767900013
  • pmid:14596511
  • scopus:0141525386
ISSN
1651-226X
DOI
10.1080/02841860310014444
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
838c9b92-1ffb-4f01-92ef-16ecdb1f83cc (old id 299594)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:59:34
date last changed
2022-03-15 04:22:15
@article{838c9b92-1ffb-4f01-92ef-16ecdb1f83cc,
  abstract     = {{A systematic review of radiation therapy trials in several turnout types was performed by The Swedish Council of Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). The procedures for evaluation of the scientific literature are described separately (Acta Oncol 2003; 42: 357-365). This synthesis of the literature on radiation therapy for breast cancer is based on data from 29 randomized trials, 6 meta-analyses and 5 retrospective studies. In total, 40 scientific articles are included, involving 41204 patients. The results were compared with those of a similar overview from 1996 including 285982 patients. The conclusions reached can be summarized as follows: There is strong evidence for a substantial reduction in locoregional recurrence rate following postmastectomy radiation therapy to the chest wall and the regional nodal areas. There is strong evidence that postmastectomy radiation therapy increases the disease-free survival rate. There are conflicting data regarding the impact of postmastectomy radiotherapy upon overall survival. There is strong evidence that breast cancer specific survival is improved by postmastectomy radiotherapy. There is strong evidence for a decrease in non-breast cancer specific survival after postmastectomy radiotherapy. There is some evidence that overall survival is increased by optimal postmastectomy radiation therapy. There is strong evidence that postmastectomy radiotherapy in addition to surgery and systemic therapy in mainly node-positive patients decreases local recurrence rate and improves survival. There is moderate evidence that the decrease in non-breast cancer specific survival is attributed to cardiovascular disease in irradiated patients. There are conflicting data whether breast conservation surgery plus radiotherapy is comparable to modified radical mastectomy alone in terms of local recurrence rate. There is strong evidence that breast conservation surgery plus radiotherapy is comparable to modified radical mastectomy alone in terms of disease-free survival and overall survival. There is strong evidence that postoperative radiotherapy to the breast following breast conservation surgery results in a statistically and clinically significant reduction of ipsilateral breast recurrences followed by diminished need for salvage mastectomies. There is strong evidence that the omission of postoperative radiotherapy to the breast following breast conservation surgery has no impact on overall survival. In one meta-analysis including three randomized studies a survival advantage is demonstrated by Bayesian statistics. There is strong evidence that the addition of a radiation boost after conventional radiotherapy to the turnout bed after breast conservation surgery significantly decreases the risk of ipsilateral breast recurrences but has no impact on overall survival after short follow-up. There is strong evidence for the use of postoperative radiotherapy to the breast following breast conservation surgery for DCIS (ductal breast cancer in situ). Radiotherapy leads to a clinically and statistically significant reduction of both non-invasive and invasive ipsilateral breast recurrences. There is insufficient evidence to define the optimal integration of systemic adjuvant therapy and postoperative radiotherapy. There are limited data on radiotherapy-related morbidity in breast cancer. No conclusions can be drawn.}},
  author       = {{Rutqvist, L E and Rose, Carsten and Cavallin-Ståhl, Eva}},
  issn         = {{1651-226X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5-6}},
  pages        = {{532--545}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Acta Oncologica}},
  title        = {{A systematic overview of radiation therapy effects in breast cancer}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02841860310014444}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/02841860310014444}},
  volume       = {{42}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}