[Postoperative radiation in stage II breast cancer treated by radical mastectomy]

The results of 260 cases of stage II female breast cancer treated by radical mastectomy with or without postoperative radiation (group I or II) in our hospital from April 1964 to December 1978 are analysed retrospectively. In all, the primary lesions were equal to or less than 5 cm in diameter and the axillary lymph nodes were involved pathologically. In group I (137 cases), the 3,5,10-year survival rates were 67.9%, 52.8% and 40.5% respectively but in group II (123 cases) they were 61.0%, 49.6% and 28.9%. The former was higher than the latter but there was no significant statistical difference between them (P greater than 0.05). The incidence of local recurrence was 22.6% in group I, 32.1% in group II (P greater than 0.05). The recurrence rate of the ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes was 1.4% in group I, 15.2% in group II, the former was much lower than the latter (P less than 0.05). The distant metastasis rate in group I was similar to that in group II. The results show that the postoperative radiation can reduce the local recurrence, particularly in the ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes but can not reduce the distant metastasis rate. In addition, it is suggested that the postoperative radiation likely improve the 10-year survival rate of radical mastectomy. Reviewing the current literature, the authors believe that the postoperative radiation really avails against stage II breast cancer treated by radical mastectomy.