The evolution of the conservative approach to breast cancer.
The profound revolution that surgical treatment of breast cancer has undergone during the past 30 years has led to the progressive reduction of the extent of surgery, with less mutilation. As a consequence, quality of life has improved and women are now more motivated to follow screening programs for early diagnosis of the disease. Since conservative surgery is as effective as radical surgery, research is now focused on reducing radiotherapy. Overall, survival after breast cancer is not affected by reducing the extent of surgery, which, together with less invasive diagnostic procedures, has a good effect on patients' quality of life. For this reason in our Institute we are now evaluating the feasibility of a reduction of the radiation field and the sensibility and sensitivity of new diagnostic approaches for axillary staging.
Luini
Alberto
A
Division of Breast Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, via Ripamonti 435, Milan, Italy. alberto.luini@ieo.it
Gatti
Giovanna
G
Zurrida
Stefano
S
Talakhadze
Nina
N
Brenelli
Fabricio
F
Gilardi
Daniela
D
Paganelli
Giovanni
G
Orecchia
Roberto
R
Cassano
Enrico
E
Viale
Giuseppe
G
Sangalli
Claudia
C
Ballardini
Bettina
B
dos Santos
Gabriela Rosali
GR
Veronesi
Umberto
U
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000639:trends*; D011788:Quality of Life; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000639:trends*