An analysis of breast cancer in Hungary: experience of the National Institute of Oncology, Budapest.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women throughout the world (18%), with a yearly morbidity that is already over half a million. Its incidence in Hungary is increasing in each age group, and the mortality is strikingly high. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of breast-conserving surgery in comparison to more radical surgery on a large group of patients. During the 15 years between 1980 and 1994, a total of 6,358 patients with primary breast cancer underwent surgery at the National Institute of Oncology in Budapest, Hungary, as breast-conserving surgery in 2,026 patients (31.8%). Breast-conserving surgery is being performed in an ever-increasing number of patients, followed by adjuvant radiochemotherapy in premenopausal patients, or radiohormone therapy in menopausal patients. During follow-up, recurrence was found in only 5.9% of the patients who underwent breast-conserving treatment. Thus, according to our experience, breast conservation therapy for the management of breast cancer offers favourable results, provided that the preconditions to this treatment are adequately met.