[Radiotherapy following a breast-preserving operation in breast carcinoma]

Between 1980 and 1988, 116 patients with invasive breast cancer were treated by limited surgery with axillary node dissection followed by radiation therapy. Radiotherapy was performed by individually computerized treatment planning. The target volume dose was 50 Gy to the whole breast followed by an electron boost of 10 Gy to the tumor bed. The median follow-up period was 59 months. The actuarial overall survival rate is 93%, and the disease-free survival 75.2%. Ten (8.6%) breast recurrences occurred. Analysis of clinical and pathological prognostic factors revealed that local control was impaired by young age, negative hormone receptors, G3-4 tumors and intraductal growth. The recurrence rate for T3- and T4-tumors was 12.5%.