Recurrence outcomes after omission of postoperative radiotherapy following breast-conserving surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: a multicenter, retrospective study in Korea (KROG 16-02)

Abstract

To evaluate the loco-regional recurrence (LRR) rate after breast-conserving surgery without postoperative radiotherapy (RT) for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. Between 2000 and 2010, 311 DCIS patients from 9 institutions were analyzed retrospectively. The median age was 47 (range, 20-82). The median tumor size was 7mm (range, 0.01-76). Margin width was <1cm in 85 patients (27.3%), and nuclear grade was high in 37 patients (11.9%). Two hundred and three patients (65.3%) received tamoxifen. With a median follow-up of 74months (range, 5-189), there were 11 local recurrences (invasive carcinoma in 6 and DCIS in 5) and 1 regional recurrence. The 7-year LRR rate was 3.8%. On univariate analysis, age and margin width were significant risk factors influencing LRR (p=0.017 and 0.014, respectively). When age and margin width were combined among 211 patients whose margin width were available, the 7-year LRR rates were as follows (p<0.001): (1) 0% in patients with age >50years and any margin width status (n=64), (2) 1.2% in age ≤50years and margin width ≥1cm (n=93), (3) 13.1% in age ≤50years and margin width <1cm (n=54). The LRR rate was very low in selected DCIS patients treated with breast-conserving surgery without postoperative RT. However, adjuvant RT should be considered for those with age ≤50years and margin width <1cm.