Lymphoscintigraphy can select breast cancer patients for internal mammary chain radiotherapy.

Purpose: Given the risk of undesired toxicity, prophylactic internal mammary (IM) chain irradiation should be offered only to patients at high risk of occult involvement. Lymphoscintigraphy for axillary sentinel node biopsy might help in selecting these patients.

Methods And Materials: We reviewed published studies with the following selection criteria: ≥ 300 breast cancer patients referred for axilla sentinel node biopsy; scintigraphy performed after peritumoral or intratumoral tracer injection; IM biopsy in the case of IM drainage; and axilla staged routinely independent of IM status.

Effect of (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging in patients with clinical Stage II and III breast cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the potential effect of using (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the initial assessment of patients with clinical Stage II or III breast cancer.

Methods And Materials: During 14 consecutive months, 39 patients (40 tumors) who presented with Stage II or III breast cancer on the basis of a routine extension assessment were prospectively included in this study. PET/CT was performed in addition to the initial assessment.

Risk of second malignancies after adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer: a large-scale, single-institution review.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of second malignancies (SM) after radiation therapy (RT) for breast cancer (BC) in a large, institutional, homogeneous cohort of patients.

Methods And Materials: We retrospectively studied 16,705 patients with nonmetastatic BC treated at the Institut Curie in Paris between 1981 and 1997. Adjuvant RT was given to 13,472 of these patients, and no RT was given to 3,233.

[Radiation-induced sarcomas after breast cancer: experience of Institute Curie and review of literature].

Adjuvant radiotherapy to the breast plays a significant role in preventing local failure in women treated for early stage breast cancer. This fact is supported by multiple clinical trials demonstrating that adjuvant radiotherapy decreases the risk of local recurrence and increases the rate of breast preservation, and actually the rules of adjuvant breast irradiation are clearly established. Sarcomas are a rare but recognized complication of radiation therapy for breast carcinoma, and are associated with poor prognosis.

Radiation-induced sarcomas after radiotherapy for breast carcinoma: a large-scale single-institution review.

Background: Sarcomas are a rare complication of radiotherapy for breast carcinoma and patients have a poor prognosis. The incidence, histology, and management of patients with sarcomas were reviewed in the current study.

Methods: The authors reviewed the records of 16,705 patients with breast carcinoma.