If my breast cancer has been completely removed after lumpectomy, do i still need radiation therapy?

Yes: Yes. When performing a lumpectomy, our goal is to remove all of the tumor and a rim of normal breast tissue; the pathologist will describe this as "clear margins". However, if radiation therapy(rt) is not given, cancer may grow back in that area of the breast as often as 25% of the time. Following rt, the local recurrence rate is below 5%.

YES: The degree of residual disease in the breast after lumpectomy alone is significant. Compared with surgery alone, the addition of rt resulted a significant reduction in the 10-year risk of recurrence by nearly half and a significant reduction in the 15-year risk of breast cancer death by almost 20%. Woman older than 70, with small (<2cm)er+, node negative breast ca, adjuvant radiation is optional.

Radiation&breastCA: After lumpectomy it is standard treatment to receive radiation to the breast followed by a boost(few extra treatments) to the site of surgery.A tried and true recipe for the last 40 years.The local control rate is exceptional and the ladies keep their breasts!we all know the surgeons always "get it all"but we know from the trials that the role for radiation is still major :).