[Contribution of radiotherapy in the local-regional treatment of breast cancer].

The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of mammary carcinoma is reviewed. The indication for postoperative radiotherapy in cases of primary tumors T2 and T3, particularly in the presence of metastatic lymph nodes (N1), is still given. For stage 1 (T1/T2 N0), postoperative radiotherapy may be omitted or can be limited to the lymphatic area which has not been surgically explored. Pre-operative radiotherapy for the more advanced stage (T3/T4 and N2) has proven more effective than postoperative irradiation. Radiotherapy as an exclusive procedure in the sense of a curative, non-mutilating treatment for small breast cancers(T1/T2 NO) provides, if correctly administered, the same 5- and 10-year survival rate at surgical amputation. The arguments against the use of radiotherapy (lymphopenia, diminished immunological reactions, frequency of hematogenic metastases) are discussed.