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Would you treat a mastectomy scar that went into the high axilla with a radiation boost?

2 Answers
Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

I was taught to always use a scar boost when giving prophylactic chest-wall irradiation.

That was based on the observation that local recurrences often appeared adjacent to the mastectomy scar before they developed elsewhere in the chest wall. However, the value of giving this extra dose (like the u...

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Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Varian Medical Systems/Allegheny health network

Indication for scar is very limited.

That being said, if required to treat, like for inflammatory breast cancer, I would treat it and include it if it extends to the high axilla.

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