Irradiation with external beam and interstitial radioactive implant as primary treatment for early carcinoma of the breast.

The locoregional control of 60 to 61 patients supports the results published by other centers and compares favorably with results of any surgical series. The cosmetic results are excellent with only three of 61 patients having severe fibrosis of the breast develop. No rib fractures, skin ulcerations, symptomatic radiation pneumonitis, edema of the arm or limitation of arm movement have been observed as complications. Ten of the 28 patients who have had axillary dissection had transient edema of the breast develop. Results of numerous studies suggest that primary radiotherapy without mastectomy is appropriate treatment for early carcinoma of the breast. The accessibility of the breast makes it relatively easy to deliver curative doses of radiation with minimal damage to surrounding normal tissues. The cumulative radiotherapy experience has demonstrated the gratifying results of not only maintaining a rather normal breast but also avoiding the negative physical and psychologic repercussions of the mastectomy. Radiation therapy is an alternative to Halsted's radical mastectomy.