[ PRINT ] [ Printing FAQ ] About OncoLink Editorial Board Sponsors Help See Today's OncoTip Usage Statistics Virtual Classroom Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute "Confronting Cancer Through Art" is an exhibition by people whose lives have been touched by cancer. This week we are featuring artwork by: Jacqueline Kniewasser Pontypool, Ontario Visit the Children's Art Gallery This week's artwork was donated by a pediatric cancer patient who received treatment for cancer at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

FAQ: Timing of Treatment for Breast Cancer Authors: The OncoLink Team Posting Date - January 10, 1995 Last Revision Date: Sunday, 14-Feb-1999 13:54:28 EST Copyright © 1995, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania QUESTION In patients with node negative breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy after lumpectomy, what is the best timing for radiation therapy with respect to chemotherapy (such as eight 3 week cycles of CMF)? ANSWER The optimal timing of radiation therapy and chemotherapy under such circumstances is unclear. There are, however, four options; Radiation therapy followed by chemotherapy. Chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy. Radiation therapy concurrently with cyclophosphamide and 5-FU chemotherapy followed by chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, then radiation therapy, then chemotherapy again (i.e. "sandwich"). Long delays before beginning radiation therapy (>16 weeks) are associated with an increased risk of local relapse. However, there is no clear evidence that such delays result in decreased chances of survival. There is also no clear evidence that a delay in starting chemotherapy until after XRT is completed results in decreased survival. At the University of Pennsylvania, option #3 is utilized for most patients, though in some patients, option #1 is used. References Overmoyer, B., Fowble, B., Solin L., Goldstein, L., Glick, J.: The long term results of conservative surgery and radiation with concurrent chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer. (Abstract). Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 11:90, 1992. Fowble, B., Solin, L.J., Schultz, D.J., Goodman, R.L.: Ten year results of conservative surgery and irradiation for stage I and II breast cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 21:269-277, 1991

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