Postmastectomy Radiotherapy: An American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society for Radiation Oncology, and Society of Surgical Oncology Focused Guideline Update Summary

The American Society of Clinical Oncology guideline for the use of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) was published in 2001. This update of that guideline, completed in collaboration with the American Society for Radiation Oncology and the Society of Surgical Oncology, focuses on key areas of ongoing controversy, including the use of PMRT for patients with one to three positive lymph nodes, use of PMRT for patients undergoing neoadjuvant systemic therapy, and selected technical aspects of PMRT, particularly the extent of regional nodal irradiation. The question of whether PMRT is indicated in women with T1-2 tumors and a positive sentinel node biopsy who do not undergo completion axillary lymph node dissection is also discussed.