S9927 Radiation Therapy After Surgery, Chemotherapy, and/or Hormone Therapy in Stage II Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed stage II adenocarcinoma of the breast (T1-2, N1, M0)

  • Primary tumor no greater than 5 cm
  • At least 1 but no more than 3 positive axillary lymph nodes
  • Nodes cannot be positive solely by cytokeratin staining
  • No apocrine, adenocystic, or squamous cell carcinomas or sarcomas of the breast
  • No bilateral breast cancer
  • No active local regional disease

• Must have undergone a modified radical mastectomy with a level I and II with or without a level III axillary dissection (at least 10 nodes examined) within the past 8 months

  • Surgical margins negative for invasive and noninvasive ductal carcinoma
  • No gross extracapsular disease or residual disease in the axilla
  • Microscopic extracapsular extension allowed
• No mastectomy after local failure following lumpectomy
• Must have received adjuvant chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy after mastectomy

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 21 and over

Sex:

• Female

Menopausal status:

• Pre- or post-menopausal

Performance status:

• Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior trastuzumab (Herceptin)

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No more than 6 weeks since prior adjuvant chemotherapy
• No other prior chemotherapy
• Concurrent adjuvant chemotherapy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Concurrent adjuvant hormonal therapy allowed

Radiotherapy:

• No prior chest wall or nodal radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Breast reconstruction allowed

Other:

• Concurrent registration on another adjuvant chemotherapy or hormonal therapy study is allowed