A Study of Short Term Outcome of Management of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

INTRODUCTION Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) continues to be a significant problem in the country and a common breast cancer presentation worldwide. LABC generally is defined as bulky primary chest wall tumours and/or extensive adenopathy. This includes patients with T3 (greater than5 cm) or T4 tumours (chest wall fixation or skin ulceration and/or satellitosis) and N2/N3 disease (matted axillary and/or internal mammary metastases). OBJECTIVE In this study, an attempt will be made to study the various risk factors like age, family history, parity, breast feeding, various modes of presentation of LABC and with special emphasis on locally advanced breast carcinoma and the multi-modality treatment approach (that includes neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, surgery and post-surgical radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy) MATERIAL AND METHODSThis is a clinical prospective study. As per our protocol, patients were treated with neo- adjuvant chemotherapy followed by palliative mastectomy with axillary dissection, then chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. Cases were followed up till the end of the study, the follow up included clinical examination for recurrence of the tumour at the operated site and recurrence in axilla. After completion of the study of the proven fifty cases of carcinoma breast the findings were analysed and compared with other studies. RESULTS Among the patients in the present study, 30 % patients received all five modalities of treatment (neo, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy).42 % patients received four modalities of treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy).68 % received only three modalities of treatment. This is attributed to poor patient compliance for neo adjuvant chemotherapy and post op radiation. Patients who received all the modalities of treatment and kept regular follow up were found to have no loco regional recurrence in the short term (18 months) of the study conducted.