title: Tumour excision plus continuous tamoxifen compared with modified radical mastectomy in patients over 70 years of age with operable breast cancer.
abstract: Between 1985 and 1991, we randomly assigned 77 women over the age of 70 years with stage I-3a breast cancer to undergo a modified radical mastectomy or tumour excision followed by tamoxifen. Median follow-up was 45 months. Patients treated by tumour excision and tamoxifen had a significantly better survival (P = 0.04). The disease-free survival of the tumour excision and tamoxifen group was close to significantly better (P = 0.10). Only two patients in the tamoxifen group required an axillary dissection on follow-up for progressive nodal enlargement. Two patients underwent a local mastectomy for locally recurrent disease. We conclude that tumour excision followed by continuous tamoxifen is an acceptable, safe alternative to a modified radical mastectomy in patients over 70 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tygerberg Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van Zyl
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Muller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical; D011300:Preoperative Care; D015996:Survival Rate; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D013629:Tamoxifen