Modified radical mastectomy with preservation of the pectoralis major muscle.

A new technique of modified radical mastectomy for early breast cancer was devised with an express purpose of preserving pectoralis major muscle but still enabling radical removal of the regional lymphnodes. The pectoralis major muscle was transected at its midportion to expose the thoracic wall for radical dissection of axillar and subclavicular lymphnodes followed by resuturing of the muscle to preserve its continuity. The parasternal nodes can also be dissected if necessary. The pectoralis minor muscle is either resected or preserved. This procedure should be applied mainly in T1N0 and T1N1a (Stage I in the TNM staging system) which seems recently to be increasing rapidly in number and for which the radical mastectomy with resection of pectoralis major muscle is thought to be too excessive. The procedure proposed in the present communication offers advantage not only in functional but also cosmetic aspect by preserving the pectoralis major muscle while the radicality of the operation is retained. Although the number of cases thus treated is limited and the long-term follow up with survival rate is not yet available, the procedure seems to be of considerable value in selected patients.