Local Therapy of Early Breast Cancer*

Abstract

This review discusses the 2007 St. Gallen oral presentations and posters on the subject of local treatment of primary breast cancer. With a view to surgical interventions, recent results are examined in the management of ductal carcinoma in situ and advanced disease, in sentinel node biopsy and in oncoplastic surgery. In terms of radiotherapy, the focus of this report is on postmastectomy and partial breast irradiation, radiotherapy and systemic therapy, and quality-of-life questions. Finally, conclusions are given with respect to novel developments and unresolved research issues in local therapies as reflected at this year’s St. Gallen Breast Cancer Conference.

Tumor Characteristics Influencing Non-Sentinel Lymph Node Involvement in Clinically Node Negative Patients with Breast Cancer

“…Tan et al [ 10 ] reported that LVI was significantly associated with SLN macro metastasis. The NSABP B2 trial demonstrated that LVI increases the risk of lymph node involvement in 70-year-old patients with T1 or T2 breast cancer from 10% to 45% [ 26 ]. Our rate of positive LVI (10/13; 77%) in our patients with non-SLN metastasis suggested that LVI was a strong positive predictor of the non-SLN involvement.…”