Tamoxifen in breast conservation therapy.

Journal article

Breast conservation surgery for early breast cancer requires post-operative radiotherapy to give local control rates equivalent to mastectomy. Three hundred and thirty-five women presenting with symptomatic breast lumps and receiving radiotherapy and adjuvant systemic therapy at St. Bartholomew's, have actuarial 8-year local relapse-free rates of 90% for T1 and 83% for T2,3 presenting cases. Amongst 49 elderly and/or medically frail patients treated with a similar surgical policy but post-operative tamoxifen only (for standard risk features), the local relapse-free rates were 96% for T1 and 43% for T2,3. Most relapses occurred in the first 2 years in both groups. We conclude that, in the absence of high risk features (defined), breast conservation surgery and tamoxifen only is a safe option for T1 disease in the elderly, but that the risk of local relapse is considerably higher when this policy is employed for patients presenting with larger tumors.

Authors: Lee, K; Plowman, P; Gilmore, O; Gray, R

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 281-284
• Publication date: 1995-05-01
• ISSN: 0946-1965
• Language: English
• Keywords: Longitudinal Studies; Adult; Combined Modality Therapy; Breast Neoplasms; Tamoxifen; Humans; Aged, 80 and over; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Risk Assessment; Cohort Studies; Aged; Female