To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Inoperable Breast Cancer Disease: Presented at ASBD
URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/21F76A.htm
Doctor's Guide
April 14, 2008

By Kristina Rebelo

SAN DIEGO -- April 11, 2008 -- Researchers say that in patients with an initial poor response to chemotherapy, neoadjuvant radiotherapy allows some patients to become surgical candidates.

Lilian d'Antonino Faroni, MD, Researcher, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, presented the findings here on April 10 at the American Society of Breast Disease (ASBD) 32nd Annual Symposium.

In developing countries such as Brazil, the majority of breast cancer cases present as advanced and inoperable and have a poor prognosis. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is often used before surgery, but in some cases the response does not permit patients to have surgery.

"In Brazil, people present with advanced breast cancer because many are afraid to go to the doctor," said Dr. d'Antonino Faroni. "Regrettably, we oftentimes do not see them until their disease is advanced."

Among medical records of breast cancers treated at their institute, Dr. d'Antonino Faroni and colleagues found 44 patients who had received neoadjuvant radiotherapy after a poor response to chemotherapy. After they received chemotherapy, 52% showed stable disease, 38% had disease progression, and 12% presented with a partial response.

Radiotherapy was then delivered to breast, supraclavicular fossa, and axilla with 6 Mv photon, with doses ranging between 40 and 60 Gy, using 2 to 2.5 Gy per fraction.

After radiotherapy treatment, 50% of the patients showed stable disease, 41% showed partial response, and 4% had a complete response. Of the formerly inoperable patients who had a poor response to chemotherapy, 36% were allowed to have surgery following the neoadjuvant radiotherapy.

All patients who had surgery were alive without disease progression at the last follow-up, Dr. d'Antonino Faroni said. The patients who remained inoperable, however, had a 31% rate of distant disease progression.

Inoperable patients with a poor response to chemotherapy may benefit from neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Successful radiotherapy allows a percentage of these patients to proceed to surgery for a better disease outcome, the researchers concluded.

[Presentation title: Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Inoperable Breast Cancer Disease. Poster T-13]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet*
located at http://www.docguide.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Return to News Story Page

This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com
Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs.
All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc.
All rights reserved.