POSTMASTECTOMY BREAST CANCER RADIATION THERAPY

Course overview

POSTMASTECTOMY RADIATION THERAPY (PMRT) IS RECOMMENDED FOR PATIENTS WITH MORE ADVANCED BREAST CANCER AND/OR CERTAIN HIGH-RISK PATHOLOGIC FEATURES. IN SELECT PATIENTS, POST-MASTECTOMY RADIATION THERAPY HAS BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE LOCAL CONTROL AND OVERALL SURVIVAL. PMRT IS DIRECTED AT THE CHEST WALL AND OFTEN INCLUDES THE REGIONAL LYMPH NODES THAT DRAIN THE BREAST. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PRINCIPLES OF POST-MASTECTOMY RADIATION THERAPY AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING IT.