Breast conservation management of breast tumors 4 cm or larger
M. M. Khanna, R. J. Mark, M. J. Silverstein, G. Juillard, B. Lewinsky and A. E. Giuliano
Department of Radiation Oncology, UCLA 90024.
Randomized studies of stage I and II breast cancer have shown that breast
conservation treatment is equivalent to modified radical mastectomy in
regard to local-regional control and survival. Little has been published on
breast conservation for patients with large tumors. We analyzed 68 patients
with tumors measuring 4 cm or larger (range, 4 to 12 cm) treated with
breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy. The median follow-up was
46 months; the mean tumor size was 5 cm. The 5-year actuarial
local-regional recurrence rate was 8.5%, and the overall survival and
disease-free survival rates were 76% and 68%, respectively. We conclude
that breast conservation treatment may be a reasonable alternative to
mastectomy in patients with tumors 4 cm or larger without compromise in
local-regional control or survival, while achieving acceptable cosmesis.
