Radiothérapie hyperfractionnée accélérée alternée avec une chimiothérapie dans le cancer du sein inflammatoire non métastatique

SummaryPurpose on encouraging results reported in alternating radiotherapy and chemotherapy in inflammatory breast carcinoma, we have tried in this study to optimize locoregional treatment with a hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy schedule alternating with chemotherapy. ts and methods ay 1991 to May 1995, 54 patients, previously untreated, with non-metastatic inflammatory breast cancer were entered in an alternating protocol consisting of eight courses of combined chemotherapy and two series of loco-regional hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy with a total dose of 66 Gy. Hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy was started after three courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (Adriamycin, Vincristine, Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, 5-fluoro-uracile) administered every 21 days±G. CSF. The first series delivered 45 Gy/three weeks to the breast, the axillary, subclavicular and internal mammary nodes, with two daily sessions of 1.5 Gy separated by an interval of eight hours; the second series consisted of a boost (21 Gy/14 fractions/10d) alternating with another regimen of anthracycline-based-chemotherapy (a total of five cycles every three weeks). Hormonal treatment was given to all patients. s 53 patients evaluated at the end of the treatment, 44 (83%) had a complete clinical response, seven (13%) had a partial response (> 50%) and two (4%) had tumoral progression. Of the 51 patients who were locally controlled, 18 (35%) presented a locoregional recurrence (LRR); eight (15%) had to undergo a mastectomy. All the patients but two with LRR developed metastases or died of local progressive disease and 26 (50%) developed metastases. With a median follow-up of 39 months (range: 4–74 months), survival rates at three and five years were respectively, 66 and 45% for overall survival and 45 and 36% for disease-free survival. sion ating a combination of chemotherapy and hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy is a well-tolerated regimen which provides acceptable local control. The systemic dissemination remains the major problem of inflammatory breast carcinoma and further clinical trials using alternative drug regimens are warranted.