title: Comparison of conservative surgery and radiotherapy with mastectomy in the treatment of early breast cancer.
abstract: We have compared overall survival, and local and distant recurrence-free survival in patients with early breast cancer treated by mastectomy, with patients treated by wide local excision and radiotherapy. To do this, we reviewed a consecutive, unselected series of patients presenting with early breast cancer (T0-T2, N0-N1b, UICC) between 1973 and 1981 to one surgeon (J.-C.G.) and one radiotherapist (H.T.F.). The mean follow-up was 9 years (minimum 6 years, maximum 14 years). Only 9 patients received any adjuvant therapy. At 10 years the relapse-free survival was 65% for both groups of patients; the overall 10-year survival was 70% for patients treated by wide local excision and radiotherapy, and 67% for patients treated by mastectomy. The actuarial loco-regional recurrence rate at 10 years was 15% for patients treated by wide local excision and 13% for patients treated by mastectomy. There were no significant differences in overall survival, loco-regional and distant relapse-free survival between the two groups of patients. Our results support other reports that conservative surgery and radiotherapy in early breast cancer does not adversely affect long-term prognosis.
authors: Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Rayter
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Gazet
authors: H T
authors: HT
authors: Ford
authors: D F
authors: DF
authors: Easton
authors: R C
authors: RC
authors: Coombes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D015996:Survival Rate