Do surgical oncologists achieve lower rates of local-regional recurrence in node positive breast cancer treated with mastectomy alone?

Abstract

Adjuvant radiotherapy for node positive breast cancer postmastectomy has been recommended by two previously published randomized controlled trials (RCT). The local-regional recurrence rates in the control arms, however, were considered by some critics to be excessive (> 25% at 10 years). Inadequate surgery, as evidenced by the low number of axillary nodes reported, may have resulted in the high local-regional recurrence rates, allowing for the benefits seen with radiotherapy. Fellowship trained surgical oncologists might provide "better quality" surgery, resulting in lower recurrence rates and thus making adjuvant radiotherapy unnecessary. Our objective was to establish the local-regional control rate postmastectomy in node positive breast cancer patients operated on by surgical oncologists, and to determine if treatment recommendations from previous RCTs are generalizable. Node positive stage IIb and IIIa breast cancer patients treated with mastectomy at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals by surgical oncologists, without adjuvant radiotherapy, and entered into adjuvant chemotherapy trials between 1978 and 1993 were identified retrospectively. Pathology and follow-up records were reviewed. One hundred and thirty-seven patients were identified. A median of 18 axillary nodes was reported with a median of 4 positive nodes. The locoregional recurrence at 10-years was 27% (95% confidence interval, 19-35%). Despite some evidence of "better quality" surgery, there was no clinically significant difference in the local-regional recurrence rate in this case series compared to controls in two previous RCTs. Recommendations for postmastectomy radiotherapy should be considered for node positive breast cancers, even if operated upon by surgical oncologists.