title: Conservative surgery plus axillary radiotherapy vs. modified radical mastectomy in patients with stage I breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to explore the effect of conservative surgery plus postoperative axillary radiotherapy without axillary lymph node dissection vs. modified radical mastectomy in patients with stage I breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 186 patients with stage I breast cancer were enrolled. Among them, 98 patients underwent breast-conserving surgery without axillary node dissection. From the first day after surgery, each of them received 6 cycles of CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy, and thereafter radical radiotherapy for 5 to 6 weeks. Eighty-eight patients received modified radical mastectomy with postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The clinical data of these 186 patients were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference (P > .05) in local recurrence and survival rates between the conservative plus axillary radiotherapy group and the modified radical mastectomy group, although a significantly greater incidence of upper limb dysfunction and edema were observed in the modified mastectomy group (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficacy of conservative surgery plus axillary radiotherapy alone is superior to that of axillary node dissection for stage I breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Central Hospital of Enshi Prefecture, Enshi 445000, Hubei, China. Electronic address: cd13986861928@163.com.
authors.forename: Dian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Central Hospital of Enshi Prefecture, Enshi 445000, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Central Hospital of Enshi Prefecture, Enshi 445000, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Central Hospital of Enshi Prefecture, Enshi 445000, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Miya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Central Hospital of Enshi Prefecture, Enshi 445000, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Maohui
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Central Hospital of Enshi Prefecture, Enshi 445000, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Jiaquan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, Central Hospital of Enshi Prefecture, Enshi 445000, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical / Q000379:methods*; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
keywords: Axillary lymph node dissection; Breast cancer; Breast conservative surgery; Chemotherapy; Radiotherapy