OBJECTIVES:
Primary
* Determine reproducibility of localized and concentrated adjuvant radiotherapy, in terms of isodose curve and dose heterogeneity, in older women with stage I or II breast cancer.
Secondary
* Determine the impact of this regimen on Katz's Activity of Daily Living score and Lawton's Instrumental Activity of Daily Living score in these patients.
* Determine relapse-free survival of patients treated with this regimen.
* Determine overall and specific survival of patients treated with this regimen.
* Determine the cosmetic result, as assessed by the patient, surgeon, and radiologist, of this regimen in these patients.
* Determine the direct and indirect costs of this regimen in these patients.
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized study.
Patients undergo surgery. After surgery, patients undergo radiotherapy twice daily for 5 days.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 42 patients will be accrued for this study.
