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A 35-year-old member asked:

Is radiation treatment always necessary? as in, after a lumpectomy for stage 1 breast cancer, will a doctor always assign that you get radiation treatment, or does it depend on the patient?

2 doctor answers8 doctors weighed in
Dr. Barry Rosen
General Surgery 36 years experience
Yes: A lumpectomy alone is insufficient rx for invasive breast cancer; radiation therapy is always necessary to lower the risk of local recurrence, except under unusual circumstances (ie, elderly pt w/small tumor& very poor health). Dcis (stage 0) may sometimes be treated by lumpectomy alone, depending on unique patient & tumor characteristics.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Robert Whitfield
Specializes in Plastic Surgery
Breast cancer: Lumpectomy for breast cancer is followed by radiation treatment for local control.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

Similar questions

A 41-year-old member asked:

After a lumpectomy for stage 1 breast cancer, will a doctor always assign that you get radiation treatment, or does it depend on the patient?

2 doctor answers4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Dariush Vaziri
A Verified Doctoranswered
Breast Surgery 49 years experience
Usually yes: Most of the time rdiation treatment is needed to provide comparable longterm survival benefit in comparison to mastectomy. In women over 70 years old and if the cancer is esterogen receptor positive, endocrine therapy may be substitued with satisfactory results. You need to talk with your surgeon, medical oncologist as well a radiation oncologist to see what your particular cirmumstance will be.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Feb 13, 2020

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