Lumpectomy and breast irradiation for breast cancer arising after previous radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease or lymphoma.

Twelve women treated with radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease (11 patients) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (1 patient) and in whom breast cancer subsequently developed 10 to 29 years later were treated with lumpectomy and breast irradiation. 5,000 cGy/25-30 fractions to the whole breast and 900 cGy to 1.000 cGy/5 boost to the operative area. Six also received adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Breast irradiation was well tolerated without any unusual acute or chronic sequelae. All women had a good to excellent cosmetic result. Ten women are alive and well 1 to 174 months (median: 46) from completion of breast irradiation. Two women died with distant metastasis but without local recurrence. Breast conservation therapy with radiotherapy is not contraindicated in the woman who has previously been treated with radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease or lymphoma.