The indications and benefits of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) continue to
evolve. Advances in systemic adjuvant therapy and targeted therapy for breast cancer are
likely to play an increasingly important role in control of locoregional as well as distant
disease. Ongoing scrutiny of patterns of chest wall failure will be required to define the net
benefit derived from PMRT. This article discusses the 2001 American Society of Clinical
Oncology guidelines for PMRT and current practices using PMRT in selected groups of …

Increased breast health awareness has led to earlier stage distribution among breast cancer
patients in the United States; however, locally advanced tumors remain a major source of
morbidity and mortality. Early attempts to control this high-risk pattern of disease with surgery
or radiation alone were met with disappointingly high rates of treatment failure in
locoregional and distant sites. Multimodality strategies represent a major advance in
management of these difficult cancers. The current standard of care is neoadjuvant …