PHYSICAL AND CLINICAL PARAMETERS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ADVANCED BREAST CANCER WITH RADIATION THERAPY ALONE

Abstract

1. No significant differences in local control of advanced cancer of the breast have been demonstrated between kilovoltage (12 to 14 weeks) and cobalt 6o (8 to 10 weeks) radiation therapy. 2. Cleaning simple mastectomy followed by radical radiation therapy is indicated for large nonulcerated tumors in pendulous breasts without massive axillary involvement. 3. Few fraction massive dose radiation therapy is effective in the local control of far advanced tumors. 4. A study of "boost" therapy indicates that regression rate of inflammatory cancer is not a valid assessment of tumor response. 5. With palpable supraclavicular disease, more rigid criteria for the breast and axilla disease must be used to justify radical radiation therapy. 6. Late sequelae with the 3 day week treatments appear to be more severe than with the 5 day week treatments.