The management of elderly patients with T1–T2 breast cancer treated with or without radiotherapy

Aim The aim of the current study is to identify a subgroup of patients with breast cancer who have a low risk of local recurrence after conservative surgery in order to avoid radiotherapy treatment. Methods A group of 472 patients underwent conservative surgery without radiotherapy, and it was compared to a second group of 755 patients with similar characteristics, but who had received radiotherapy treatment (RT) after conservative surgery. Results Breast relapseʹs univariate analysis demonstrated statistical significance for the following factors: radiotherapy treatment, clinical stage, pathological stage, positive axillary nodes and tumour grading. Different results were obtained studying breast relapse. In the no-RT group breast relapse was 10.6% while in the irradiated group it was 3.4%. The breast relapse incidence decreases as the age of the patients increases especially over 75 years of age. Conclusions In conclusion, there is clinical evidence of avoiding adjuvant radiotherapy for patients over 75 years with T1–T2 cancer treated with quadrantectomy with a clear excision margin.