Mammographic and palpation findings in the irradiated spared breast

Between 1983 and 1987, 22 women underwent breast-preserving treatment for T1 (n = 19) or T2 (n = 3) cancer. Axillary surgery was performed in 17 patients and axillary node "sampling" in one patient, while 4 patients had no axillary surgery. Radiotherapy was begun no later than six weeks after operation. The patients had the first post-treatment follow-up examination at 1 month to 41 months after irradiation. Six of the patients had more than one follow-up examination. According to the length of the follow-up period, there were two different groups of patients. Fourteen patients had the first follow-up examination at 1 month to 10 months after completion of radiation treatment. Eleven breasts (79%) had solid consistency as well as radiological edema. Six of the breasts had signs of severe edema seen during the first 6 months. At the second or third examination, if made after 10 months, the signs of edema decreased or disappeared. Eight patients examined for the first time at 12 to 41 months after radiation treatment had no radiological signs of breast edema and only 3 of the breasts were solid. The present results suggest that post-treatment mammograms are not useful during the first 6 months after irradiation and that the value of palpation is limited to at least 10 months; in selected patients these periods can be considerably longer.