Article
Author: Kim, Eun Seog ; Moon, Sunrock ; Cho, Won Kyung ; Kim, Haeyoung ; Park, Hae Jin ; Lee, Jong Hoon ; Park, Shin-Hyung ; Cho, Oyeon ; Jo, In Young ; Jung, Jinhong ; Ahn, Sung Ja ; Park, Won ; Koo, Taeryool ; Kim, Mi Young ; Lee, Hyung-Sik ; Ha, Boram ; Kim, Kyubo ; Ha, Inbong ; Shin, Young-Joo ; Kim, Yong Bae ; Kim, Tae Gyu ; Shin, Kyung Hwan ; Lee, Kyu Chan ; Lee, Ik Jae ; Kwon, Jeanny ; Kim, Jin Hee ; Kim, Nalee ; Lee, Ju Hye ; Kim, Tae Hyun
PURPOSE:The role of regional node irradiation (RNI) with whole-breast irradiation (WBI) in patients with pN1 breast cancer receiving taxane-based adjuvant chemotherapy is not well defined. The KROG 1701 trial, a phase 3, multicenter, noninferiority study, aimed to compare the disease-free survival between WBI+RNI and WBI alone in this patient cohort. Comprehensive patient-reported outcomes (PROs) collected at multiple timepoints are reported.
METHODS AND MATERIALS:The trial (NCT03269981) enrolled patients with pN1 breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery and taxane-based adjuvant chemotherapy, allocating them to receive either WBI+RNI or WBI only. PROs were assessed using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaires Core 30and breast cancer-specific module 23 modules at baseline, during radiation therapy, and at subsequent follow-up intervals of 3 to 6 months, and annually up to 4 years.
RESULTS:From April 2017 to December 2021, 840 patients were enrolled; 777 received intervention as assigned, and 750 completed baseline PRO questionnaires (387 in WBI+RNI, 363 in WBI only). All PRO domains showed improvements over time (P < .001). During radiation therapy, the WBI+RNI group reported greater fatigue and nausea. Higher arm symptom scores were observed in the WBI+RNI group 3 months post-treatment (P = .030). No other significant PRO domain differences, including arm/breast symptoms, were observed between the 2 groups.
CONCLUSIONS:In patients with pN1 breast cancer treated with taxane-based chemotherapy, adding RNI to WBI resulted in minor, temporary declines in specific PRO domains, but these differences were not clinically significant. This indicates that overall patient experience between WBI+RNI and WBI is comparable, supporting the safety and patient tolerability of both treatments.