The surgeon's role in outcome in contemporary breast cancer.

Details of surgical removal of invasive breast cancer do not govern survival or cure. They do, however, control local recurrence rates and regional recurrence risk. The surgeon's role in breast cancer in the new millennium is to produce a cosmetic and functional result that is as good as possibly can be achieved while minimizing recurrence. Guidelines for incision placement, tissue volume removal, and nodal removal are critical determinants of cosmetic and functional outcome and need to be appreciated by surgeons.