A 53-year-old woman presents with a 1-cm invasive carcinoma of the breast, detected on mammography. She feels well and has no other symptoms. On examination the lump is palpable, and there are no axillary lymph nodes. Which of the following is the most appropriate local therapy for her tumor?
Breast-conserving surgery is now recommended for small tumors. Radiation therapy will decrease local recurrence rates. For tumors < 1 cm, adjuvant therapy is indicated only if axillary nodes are positive. Therefore, in this case, an axillary dissection will provide important therapeutic information. However, this is an area of rapidly changing knowledge and practice.
simple mastectomy with axillary dissection
radiation therapy to breast and axilla
local excision plus radiation therapy
local excision and axillary dissection followed by radiation therapy
Oncology