Trial of Concurrent Versus Sequential Tamoxifen With Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Two hundred and sixty patients with breast cancer will be accrued into the study. After inclusion in the study, all the patients will be randomized into two arms. Arm 1 will receive Tamoxifen given concurrently with radiotherapy while in Arm 2 radiotherapy will be given followed by tamoxifen sequentially. The patients will be stratified for the following factors: a) BCS (Breast conservative surgery) versus MRM (modified radical mastectomy) and b) central lung distance (CLD) \> 2 cm. Patients in both arms will continue tamoxifen for a period of 5 years. The patients will be evaluated by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) (baseline and at 2 years), serum transforming growth factor (TGF) beta levels (baseline and at 6 months) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) aerosol clearance half life (baseline and at 6 months).