  Overgaard M, Mouridsen HT Abramson Cancer Center of the
University of Pennsylvania Last Modified: November 1, 2001
Share article  Reviewers: John Han-Chih Chang, MD Source: Lancet
1999 May 15; Volume 353(Number 9165): 1641-8   The New England
Journal publications in 1997 from Denmark and Canada
demonstrated a survival benefit for postmastectomy radiation
therapy (RT) in premenopausal women with high risk breast
cancer. The benefits of tamoxifen in postmenopausal patients
have been established in numerous prospective trials. On the
heels of those influential papers, Dr. Marie Overgaard et al.
has published another Danish trial regarding the benefits of RT
on survival in high risk postmenopausal breast cancer women.
This trial was a three-arm trial with randomization
postmastectomy to tamoxifen alone, tamoxifen + RT or tamoxifen +
CMF chemotherapy (Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate and 5FU). The
patients had a total mastectomy (pectoral muscles remained
intact) along with an axillary lymph node dissection of le