Lumpectomy 'as effective as double mastectomy'

Conclusion This large US cohort study of women with early stage breast cancer in one breast has found no 10-year mortality benefit associated with bilateral mastectomy (removal of both breasts) compared with breast-conserving surgery (also known as lumpectomy, where the cancer and a border of healthy tissue is removed) plus radiotherapy. Unilateral mastectomy was associated with a slightly increased risk of 10-year mortality, although the absolute difference was only 4%. However, as there were significant differences between the patients receiving the different surgical options it makes it likely that the increase in risk associated with unilateral mastectomy is due to incomplete adjustment for some of the measured factors, unmeasured factors (for example, the presence of other diseases such as diabetes), or differences in access to care. This study suggests that bilateral mastectomy may not be associated with any significant survival benefit compared to breast-conserving surgery with radiotherapy for the population of women with unilateral breast cancer. However, as this was a cohort study it cannot prove that there was no significant survival difference; this would require a randomised controlled trial. It is important to note that the outcome for individual patients may vary, and the type of surgery a woman with breast cancer receives will depend on a number of factors, including her personal wishes and feelings. Ultimately, if you have been told you may require brea...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Medical practice Source Type: news