ASO Author Reflections: Postmastectomy Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer Patients After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, by Molecular Subtype

Abstract

According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) for breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) should be based on maximal stage from pre-chemotherapy tumor characteristics and/or pathological stage. 1 Retrospective analyses provided evidence for benefit of PMRT only for selected patients (patients presenting with clinical stage III disease and with four or more positive nodes) after NAC; 2 however, no data from randomized prospective trials are available to investigate which breast cancer patients need PMRT after NAC. There are great controversies surrounding this question. Nevertheless, molecular subtypes may influence the benefits of PMRT. 3 Is molecular subtype a key predictive factor for locoregional recurrence (LRR) in patients receiving PMRT after NAC?