Martin B. Levene

TL;DR: Cosmetic results were lessened when the biopsy procedure included a wide resection of adjacent breast tissue or when theBiopsy scar was obvious, and increasing doses of external beam radiation were associated with greater degrees of retraction and fibrosis of the treated breast.

TL;DR: Of 55 patients with pituitary adenomas or craniopharyngiomas treated with irradiation, a retrospective study revealed that 5 sustained a visual loss compatible with radiation damage to the optic nerve.

Abstract: Of 55 patients with pituitary adenomas or craniopharyngiomas treated with irradiation, a retrospective study revealed that 5 sustained a visual loss compatible with radiation damage to the optic nerve. No patient who received less than 250 rads/day fractions showed such visual loss. Within the range of total dosages used in this series, total dose was not an important determinant of this complication. The time to occurrence of visual disturbance ranged from 5 to 34 months following therapy.

TL;DR: It is the conclusion that mastectomy is not a necessary part of the treatment of small breast cancers, that radiation withoutmastectomy is an acceptable alternative with far superior cosmetic and functional results, and adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered particularly in stage II patients in view of their 40% relapse rate.

TL;DR: The results indicate that primary radiation therapy can provide local control in a high proportion of patients with stage III carcinoma of the breast and suggest that chemotherapy is effective in improving both local control and survival in these patients.