Radiotheraphy of the primarily inoperable carcinoma of the breast

35 patients with high-stage, mostly exulcerated tumors, mainly positive lymph node stages and sometimes with distand metastases were treated primarily with irradiation. In 5 cases mastectomy was perfomed after radiation. In each of the 35 patients we could achieve complete local remission. In the observation period (1980-1987) in no case local recurrency was seen. The prognosis, however, is not favourable because of the high incidence of distant metastases. The 5-year survival was 15%. Five patients live longer than five years, each without local recurrence or distant metastases; they were treated with irradiation exclusively. In locally advanced carcinoma of the breast primary irradiation is the preferred way of treatment, it should be combined with endocrine therapy when steroid receptors are positive. Among patients with distant metastases an additional chemotherapy can be taken into consideration. (orig.)