[Is breast saving therapy of breast carcinoma without postoperative radiotherapy justified?].

We report a retrospective analysis of 388 patients treated by breast preserving surgery without postoperative radiotherapy. The lymphatic invasion by the carcinoma is one of the most important factors for local recurrence. The local recurrence shows a highly significant negative influence on metastases free survival and overall survival. However, we could not define any (sub) group of patients in whom a postoperative radiotherapy was not necessary.