# Locoregional Lymph Node Metastasis from Clinically Occult Breast Cancer: Prognostic Significance of Mastectomy

## TL;DR

This study found that radiotherapy after lymph node dissection provides similar survival outcomes as mastectomy for breast cancer patients with hidden tumors.

## Contribution

The study shows mastectomy can be omitted in favor of radiotherapy for certain breast cancer patients with locoregional lymph node metastasis.

## Key findings

- No significant difference in overall survival between ALND+RT and ALND+MAST±RT treatments.
- ALND+RT showed improved survival in patients without verified in situ lesions.
- Radiotherapy is a viable alternative to mastectomy for these patients.

## Abstract

This study included patients registered in the national Danish Breast Cancer Group (DBCG) database between 2001 and 2015, with locoregional LNM as well as a bilateral negative mammography, ultrasonography, and physical examination of the breasts. Overall survival (OS) and invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) were compared by treatment groups, ALND + RT (axillary lymph node dissection and radiotherapy) or ALND + MAST ± RT (axillary lymph node dissection, mastectomy with or without radiotherapy).

In total, 56 patients were included in the study, of which 37 were treated by ALND + RT, 16 by ALND + MAST ± RT, and the remaining three patients receiving different treatments. The median follow-up for the 53 OBC patients sorted by treatment group was 12.2 years (interquartile range: 10.1 years; 15.3 years). There was no significant difference in OS or IDFS between the treatment groups, except for a subgroup of 46 (out of 53) patients without verified in situ lesions before treatment, where ALND + RT treatment showed an improved OS (log-rank p=0.05).

Treating OBC patients with ALND and radiotherapy resulted in a similar outcome as treatment with ALND and mastectomy. This supports omission of mastectomy in favor of radiotherapy of the breast in these patients.