Considerations: Lumpectomy w/Rads vs. UMX vs. BMX

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited February 2021

    I have a question re:

    From page 3, bottom right column

    "Currently, it is unclear why breast-conserving therapy with radiation would demonstrate an overall survival benefit. One of the theories proposed is that improved systemic therapy options are resulting in improved control of micrometastatic disease leading to decreased distant recurrence of breast cancer. Currently, it is unclear why breast-conserving therapy with radiation would demonstrate an overall survival benefit. One of the theories proposed is that "improved systemic therapy options are resulting in improved control of micrometastatic disease leading to decreased distant recurrence of breast cancer. Therefore, improved locoregional control provided by radiation therapy with tangential axillary exposure may contribute to a survival benefit by preventing secondary dissemination of the disease".9,10 Unfortunately, because the NCDB does not gather information on recurrence, this is only theoretical as it pertains to the current study.9,10 Unfortunately, because the NCDB does not gather information on recurrence, this is only theoretical as it pertains to the current study"

    "Improved systemic therapy options". My question: To my understanding radiation is not systemic. Wouldn't chemo and/or the anti-hormonal meds be the only systemic therapy options? Many thanks for any clarification.


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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited February 2021

    What the article is saying is basically that while it is not clear exactly why BCT offers slightly better OS than a MX, it might be because of the extra local control that radiation provides.

    In other words: Cancer cells left behind after any surgery (lumpectomy or mastectomy) could still disseminate and cause metastatic disease later. We know that systemic treatment (chemo and/or hormone therapy) help to eliminate undetectable microscopic metastatic disease, but these drugs are certainly not 100% effective. That is why radiation might offer an additional layer of local control beyond surgery alone, possibly accounting for the greater effectiveness of BCT over an MX. At least that is the possible explanation.

    I think this is really important information for early stage patients making a surgery decision. I hope BCO will consider including this new information on their pages soon also.

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  • JRNJ
    JRNJ Member Posts: 573
    edited February 2021

    I didn’t see that in the article, but it is exactly what I was thinking. And per my more detailed thoughts above, the problem is that lumpectomy patients are getting radiation to the nodes and mastectomy patients are not. This makes no sense to me. Looks like the study is node negative. But of course there could always be a few cells lingering. Even node positive doesn’t always get radiation which is beyond ridiculous. Nccn recommends it be “considered”. I think that needs to change. It is not consistent. image

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited February 2021

    buttonsmachine and JRNJ, if you look at the other studies that I reference in my opening post, there are earlier studies that have reached the same conclusion. For example:

    Survival Comparisons for Breast Conserving Surgery and Mastectomy Revisited: Community Experience and the Role of Radiation Therapy (June 2015) "We found no difference in overall survival by breast cancer surgery type when the effects of adjuvant radiation therapy and other covariates were eliminated using statistical methods. However, comparison of BCS plus radiation to mastectomy alone revealed a significant survival benefit with breast conserving therapy, suggesting that the prognostic differences reported here and by others may be related to use of adjuvant radiation therapy after BCS rather than to the extent of surgery itself. Given the limitations inherent in this type of study design, prospective confirmation of this finding is necessary."


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  • MountainMia
    MountainMia Member Posts: 1,307
    edited February 2021

    Beesie, the sentence structure in your first point of consideration in the main post confused me. You said

    However you should be aware that there is no guarantee that radiation may not be necessary even if you have a mastectomy,

    Perhaps change it to

    However, you should be aware that even if you have a mastectomy, radiation may be necessary...


    Also, this question comes up in new posts so often, I've saved it as a favorite to make it easier to provide for them. Thanks.


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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited February 2021

    Buttons, thank you for clarifying it for me.

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  • cangold
    cangold Member Posts: 40
    edited February 2021

    Thank you Beesie

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited February 2021

    MountainMia, you mean you don't like my convoluted language? I specialize in it!

    Change made, thank you!

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited March 2021

    Looks good!

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited May 2021

    I thought I would add this link to one of my favourite websites on the topic of breast cancer surgery choice:


    Lumpectomy vs Mastectomy: How to Choose     http://www.melbournebreastcancersurgery.com.au/lum...


    Here are a couple of helpful graphics from the site, but for anyone struggling with this decision, I would suggest going to site itself - there is a lot of excellent information there to help with the surgery decision.

    imageimage

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