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Lumpectomy as effective as mastectomy: Researchers

Written by: QMI Agency
Jan. 28, 2013

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A new study shows an equivalent survival rate for women with early stage breast cancer who had a lumpectomy and radiation compared to those who chose a mastectomy.

The researchers used randomized clinical trials with 112,154 women in California with Stage 1 or Stage 2 breast cancer between 1990 and 2004 who were treated with either a lumpectomy and radiation or a mastectomy. Researchers followed vital statistics through December 2009.

The research showed that women who had a lumpectomy had a higher rate of disease-specific survival compared to those who had a mastectomy. This trend was higher among women under the age of 50, but the trend was seen among women above 50 also.

The findings were published as more U.S. women — particularly younger women — are choosing to have a full mastectomy even for small cancers, the researchers state.

The U.S. Cancer Institute paid for the research, which appeared in the journal Cancer.

 

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