Mammography of the definitively irradiated breast

The role of mammography in evaluating tumor response was examined in 27 patients undergoing definitive radiation therapy for breast cancer. Radiographic changes observed after treatment included progressive skin thickening, fibrosis of the subcutaneous tissue, and breast retraction. The persistence of a mass more than six months after irradiation suggests treatment failure. Serial mammography may be particularly important in the evaluation of patients with locally advanced disease who require extensive radiation therapy and in whom physical examination is inadequate for the assessment of tumor response.