Radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery for Stage I and II mammary carcinoma. Results of the Marseille experience 1961 to 1976

This report describes the results of a program of limited surgery, usually tumor excision, followed by curative radiation therapy in a series of 794 evaluable Stage I and II breast cancer patients treated prior to December, 1976. Clinical cure rates at 5, 10 and 15 years were 85%, 74% and 58% respectively. At 10 years, 86% of the apparently cured patients had the affected breast preserved, 79% of them with a good cosmetic result. In 10-year local/regional recurrence rate was 14%, but 84% of local failures were operable. Salvage surgery provided ultimate local control for 94% of the operable local failures, 61.5% of whom lived for at least 5 years after their secondary operations. It is concluded that a combination of primary tumor excision, limited axillary dissection and curative radiation therapy provides end results which are equivalent to those of primary radical mastectomy and affords the considerable advantage of successful breast preservation in a large majority of cases.