Is systemic sclerosis an absolute contraindication for breast conserving therapy?

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...

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 right sided brea...

Yes. Avoid radiation therapy if possible. I have seen second opinions on severe complications.