X-ray sterilization of axillary metastases in patients with breast cancer irradiated preoperatively

The material of 145 patients with cancer of the breast irradiated preoperatively in the years 1974 to 1977 was analyzed. The unefficiency of clinical assessment of axillary metastases was confirmed. 19% of false-positive and 68.4% of false-negative clinical diagnoses were recorded. The pathological examination of surgical material revealed the sterilization of the primary tumor in 7 (5%) patients. In 47 patients with palpable nodes, the presence of axillary lymph nodes metastases was diagnosed before irradiation by fine needle biopsy. In 4 of them there was no evidence of cancer metastases in the pathological examination of the surgical material (Halstead or Patey operation). (author)