Quadrantic excision and axillary node dissection without radiation therapy: the long-term results of a selective policy in the treatment of stage I breast cancer.

The results of a selective policy of conservative surgery without radiation over a 14-year period with a minimum 5 year follow-up indicates that routine postoperative radiotherapy can be safely omitted in certain cases. Eighty-one patients were studied, the overall survival at 5 years and 10 years was 88% and 73% respectively. The risk of local recurrence within the treated breast or axilla was 10% at 5 years and 11% within the total follow-up period. Most (91%) local recurrences were noted within 5 years. The rate of dying from breast cancer did not change over 10 years of follow up. The risk of recurrence was significantly higher in younger (less than 46 years) patients (P less than 0.05) and premenopausal patients (P less than 0.005) compared with older, post menopausal patients. The risk of dying from breast cancer was also significantly greater in the younger premenopausal women. At 10 years the rate of dying from breast cancer was unchanged from that seen soon after diagnosis. In postmenopausal patients with tumours less than 2 cm and uninvolved axillary nodes after pathological assessment, radiotherapy can be safely omitted. In these patients there is a low risk of local recurrence (10%), similar to that reported following segmental mastectomy and radiation.