Surgical considerations for invasive breast cancer

Long-term updates of original prospective clinical trials have confirmed th at breast conservation treatment is the appropriate primary therapy for mos t women with stage I and II breast cancer. The procedure probably is underu sed in many areas of North America still. The discomfort of many surgeons i n recommending breast-conserving surgery may relate to a misunderstanding o f the difference between risks of local recurrence and distant treatment fa ilure.