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Clinical impact of delaying initiation of radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer: stages 0, I and II, a retrospective observational study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2015

Raquel Cobos Campos ,
Antxon Apiñaniz Fernández de Larrinoa ,
Arantza Sáez de Lafuente Moriñigo ,
Naiara Parraza Diez ,
Felipe Aizpuru Barandiaran ,
Avelino Alia Ramos  and
Aurora Lasso Varela
Raquel Cobos Campos
Affiliation:
Araba Research Unit, Basque Health Service, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain
Antxon Apiñaniz Fernández de Larrinoa
Affiliation:
Lakuabizkarra Health Centre, Duque de Wellington, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain
Arantza Sáez de Lafuente Moriñigo
Affiliation:
Araba Research Unit, Basque Health Service, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain
Naiara Parraza Diez
Affiliation:
Araba Research Unit, Basque Health Service, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain
Felipe Aizpuru Barandiaran
Affiliation:
Araba Research Unit, Basque Health Service, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain Network Center for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health, Spain University of the Basque Country, Araba, Spain
Avelino Alia Ramos
Affiliation:
Oncology Radiotherapy Service, Araba University Hospital, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain
Aurora Lasso Varela*
Affiliation:
Oncology Radiotherapy Service, Cruces University Hospital, Barakaldo, Vizkaya, Bizkaia, Spain
*
Correspondence to: Aurora Lasso Varela, Oncology Radiotherapy Service, Cruces University Hospital, Cruces square, 12, 48903 Barakaldo, Vizkaya, Spain. Tel: 946006398. Fax: 945007413. E-mail: MARIAAURORA.LASSOVARELA@osakidetza.net
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Abstract

Background

There is no consensus on how long the initiation of radiotherapy (RT) can be delayed after surgery without a negative impact on survival.

Materials and methods

We conducted a retrospective study of 278 patients with stage 0–II breast cancer, all of whom were treated with surgery and RT, with those at stages I–II also receiving chemotherapy. Patients were followed-up for 5 years after diagnosis to assess disease-free and overall survival.The independent variable was the delay in the initiation of RT, assessed by two criteria: time since the last treatment, considered acceptable if ≤6 weeks, and time since surgery, considered acceptable if ≤7 months, these cut-offs being used to categorise patients into two groups according to the length of delay.

Results

No statistically significant differences were observed in the probability of disease-free survival (p=0·412) or overall survival (p=0·890). The appearance of recurrence was 5–59 months, with an average of 38·50 (14·31).

Conclusions

Delaying the initiation of RT for more than 6 weeks after last treatment does not seem to have a negative impact on disease-free or overall survival.

Keywords

adjuvant radiotherapybreast neoplasmdisease-free survivalmortalityrecurrences
Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , September 2015 , pp. 244 - 251
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2015 

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