Results of treating stage I and II carcinoma of the breast with primary radiation therapy.

Eighty patients with stage I and II carcinoma of the breast were treated with primary radiation therapy between July 1968 and December 1975 at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy. The median followup time was 41 months. Only one local recurrence was observed. The survival at 5 years was 88% for stage I and 72% for stage II. The relapse-free survival at 5 years was 91% for stage I and 56% for stage II. Of breasts evaluated for cosmetic results, 66% were judged good or excellent by physicians and 81% were judged good or excellent by patients. One patient developed a pericardial reaction related to treatment which required hospitalization. Other complications were mild and cleared without additional therapy.