[Local control in breast cancer: constant importance, changing radiotherapy practice]

Local control is of primary importance when treating operable breast cancer. Local relapse serves as a secondary source of distant metastases, and compromises survival. Postoperative radiotherapy improves local control after mastectomy or breast conserving surgery, however, sometimes it leads to overtreatment. The risk of local relapse may be estimated based on different correlated factors, such as the type of the surgery, the size and stage of the tumor, the nodal status, the histological type, multifocality and biological features of the cancer, the margin status, the age and the mammographic appearance of the lesion. Late radiogenic sequelae appearing 5-10 years after radiotherapy are sometimes fatal, but may be prevented if radiotherapy is delivered at a high standard. Systemic therapies contribute to local control, and in some cases may substitute radiotherapy. In other low risk cases, radiotherapy may be either omitted or lessened. Local therapies in breast cancer should be tailored individually.