Comparison of survival outcomes between modified radical mastectomy and breast conserving surgery in early breast cancer patients

Objectives Breast conserving surgery (BCS) for early breast cancer is now an accepted treatment, but there are controversies about its comparability with mastectomy. Thus, we investigated the survival outcomes who underwent BCS and modified radical mastectomy (MRM). Methods In this retrospective review, we analyzed the survival outcomes of 618 patients with early breast cancer who underwent two different surgery from January 2002 to December 2009. Postoperative pathologic difference, disease free survival period, overall survival period, recurrence pattern, recurrent rate and site were compared. In addition, preoperative patients data are also collected. Results Disease free survival period of MRM and BCS was 108.46 months and 80.82 months, respectively (P< 0.01). However, there was no significant correlation between overall survival period and operative methods (P= 0.67). In addition, recurrence pattern (P= 0.21), recurrent rate (P= 0.36) and site (P= 0.45, P= 0.09) were not associated with operative method. Conclusions In this study, we can suggest that early breast cancer patients could improve their disease free survival if they underwent MRM. So, when we operate high risk breast cancer patients, MRM could be considered for their disease free life. Further studies may be required to establish appropriate strategy of surgery for early breast cancer.