Locally advanced (noninflammatory) carcinoma of the breast: Results and comparison of various treatment modalities

From 1968–1987 237 women with Stage III, noninflammatory breast cancer were treated with various modalities. Ninety-three (39%) had Stage IIIA tumors, and 144 (61%) had Stage IIIB, noninflammatory tumors (AJC, 1983 staging). Median follow-up was 5.4 years (range 2 to 22 years). No patients were lost to follow-up. Thirty-five patients (15%) were treated with irradiation alone, 27 (11%) with irradiation and adjuvant systemic therapy, 80 (34%) with mastectomy and irradiation, and 95 (40%) with combined mastectomy, irradiation, and systemic therapy. Local/regional control by treatment at 5 and 10 years, respectively, was 31% and 31% for irradiation alone, 47% and 47% for irradiation and systemic therapy, 80% and 80% for irradiation and mastectomy, and 93% and 78% for irradiation, mastectomy, and systemic therapy (p ⩽ .0001). Actuarial disease-free survival by treatment was 19% and 12% for irradiation alone, 25% and 18% for irradiation and systemic therapy, 34% and 20% for irradiation and mastectomy, and 41% and 31% for irradiation, mastectomy, and systemic therapy, at 5 and 10 years, respectively (p = .0001). Patients given systemic therapy and/or irradiation prior to mastectomy had a better local/regional control and DFS and actuarial survival, although not achieving statistical significance (p = 0.10). Of the triple modality group of patients, there were no chest wall failures with chest wall doses greater than 5040 cGy (p = 0.3). There were 40/237 (17%) grade 2 or greater treatment sequelae. The administration of chemotherapy significantly increased complications.