The management of elderly patients with T1–T2 breast cancer treated with or without radiotherapy

Aim: The aim of the current study is to identify a subgroup of patients with breast cancer who have a low risk of local recurrence after conservative surgery in order to avoid radiotherapy treatment. Methods: A group of 472 patients underwent conservative surgery without radiotherapy, and it was compared to a second group of 755 patients with similar characteristics, but who had received radiotherapy treatment (RT) after conservative surgery. Results: Breast relapse's univariate analysis demonstrated statistical significance for the following factors: radiotherapy treatment, clinical. stage, pathological stage, positive axillary nodes and tumour grading. Different results were obtained studying breast relapse. In the no-RT group breast retapse was 10.6% while in the irradiated group it was 3.4%. The breast relapse incidence decreases as the age of the patients increases especially over 75 years of age. Conclusions: In conclusion, there is clinical. evidence of avoiding adjuvant radiotherapy for patients over 75 years with T1-T2 cancer treated with quadrantectomy with a clear excision margin