Abstract
Background
The role of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) for adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast remains unclear.
Materials and Methods
We queried the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for patients with breast ACC resected between 1988 and 2005, and divided patients based on the receipt of RT. Univariate and multivariate survival comparisons were made for overall and diseaseโspecific survival.
Results
Three hundred seventy six patients met criteria for inclusion. Demographics and staging were similar between groups. Univariate analysis revealed an absolute overall and causeโspecific survival benefit of 21% and 7% at 10 years (Pโ=โ0.005 and Pโ=โ0.12 respectively). In the multivariate analysis, RT was a significant predictor of overall and causeโspecific survival with hazard ratios of 0.44 (95% Confidence interval (CI)โ=โ0.22โ0.88) and 0.1 (95% CI: 0.01โ0.88), respectively.
Conclusions
RT after local surgical therapy for ACC of the breast improved both causeโspecific and overall survival. Use of RT in this rare tumor should be considered in patients otherwise eligible for RT. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010;102:342โ347. ยฉ 2010 WileyโLiss, Inc.