Tumorectomy and radiation therapy in early breast cancer: a report on 392 patients.

Three hundred ninety-two breast cancer patients (231 with stage I and 161 with stage II disease) were treated with tumorectomy followed by radiation therapy. The overall actuarial survival rate was 86.5% at 5 years and 78.0% at 10 years. The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 70.2%. Survival rates depended on locoregional tumor extension. Patients with stage I tumors had a survival rate of 92.0% at 5 years and 84.0% at 10 years; patients with stage II tumors had a survival rate of 82.0% at 5 years and 75.0% at 10 years. The percentage of patients with local recurrences was 13.0% for all patients (10.8% for stage I and 16.1% for stage II patients). The percentage of patients with lymph node recurrences was 1.5% for all patients (1.3% for stage I and 1.9% for stage II patients). The percentage of patients with distant metastases was 11.2% for all patients (7.8% for stage I and 16.1% for stage II patients). Locoregional control rates compared favorably with those in the literature. Breast preservation rates at 5 years were 85.0% for stage I and 80.9% for stage II patients. Cosmetic results were judged good by physicians in 80% of patients and by 90% of the patients themselves. Complication rates were very low.