The international surgical journal with global reach

This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS

Regional nodal irradiation in early-stage breast cancer. N Engl J Med 2015; 373: 307-316.

Published: 27th August 2015

Authors: Whelan TJ, Olivotto IA, Parulekar WR, Ackerman I, Chua BH, Nabid A et al for the MA.20 Study Investigators et al.

Conclusion

Some 1832 women with node positive or high-risk node negative breast cancer were randomly allocated nodal irradiation in addition to breast radiotherapy. At ten year follow-up, overall survival rates were similar (hazard ratio 0.91, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.72 to 1.13, P=0.39), but disease-free survival was improved: 82 versus 77 per cent, P=0.01.

Pubmed Link