One-fifth of women who should receive radiation after a
mastectomy are not getting this potentially lifesaving
treatment, according to a new study from researchers at the
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The study
looked at 396 women who were treated with a mastectomy for
breast cancer. The researchers found that 19% of women who fell
clearly within guidelines recommending radiation after the
mastectomy did not receive that treatment. Results of the study
appear online in the journal Cancer and will be published in the
March 15 issue. Postmastectomy radiation is known to decrease
the risk of cancer returning in the chest wall and has been
shown to reduce mortality in high-risk patients, but there has
been some debate within the cancer community about who is likely
to benefit most. Current guidelines recommend radiation after
mastectomy for women who had particularly large tumors or cancer
in four or more of their nearby lymph nodes. Even women with
fewer positive lymph nodes should strongly