Preoperative radiotherapy for stage III carcinoma of the breast.

We have concluded from these observations in this pilot study that preoperative radiation therapy does not play a particularly helpful role in the management of patients who have the clinical finding of borderline operable carcinoma of the breast and it does not improve the survival rate. Patients within this category of locally advanced disease must be considered to have systemic metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, as has previously been stressed by many. For this reason, any therapy directed to the regional area for local control must be combined with some form of systemic therapy if there is to be any hope for an increase in survival time.