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Topics:
Breast Cancer • Radiation Oncology
Is systemic sclerosis an absolute contraindication for breast conserving therapy?
If not, do you have any experience with acceptable late toxicity and cosmesis with whole breast radiation in these patients?
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
I see systemic sclerosis as a relative contraindication to breast conserving therapy/whole breast radiotherapy. There are a number of case series looking at whole breast radiotherapy in women with collagen vascular disease (CVD). While some of these showed statistically significant increase in sever...
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Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
Early in my post-graduate practice, I had a 60-ish patient who had CREST syndrome (controlled) but with poor performance status due to her debilitating disease. She had prior BCT (incl. XRT) on the left at another location a few years prior without complications. She developed a new righ...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
Yes. Avoid radiation therapy if possible. I have seen second opinions on severe complications.