Breast cancer--the need for early diagnosis

A retrospective study was undertaken of 265 women with breast cancer treated at the Department of Surgery, Toa Payoh Hospital, Singapore, during 8 years from 1977 to 1985. The average patient was aged 51.0 years, with a tumour 4.9 cm in diameter, staged at T2aN1bMO (Stage II). In comparison with an earlier series from the same Unit, an increase in the number of younger patients was noted, although overall a larger proportion of 'early' cases (TNM Stage I) was found. In contrast to recent western series, breast cancer in Singapore is diagnosed at a later stage and generally unsuitable for conservative treatment by lumpectomy and radiotherapy. The standard treatment was modified radical mastectomy, or simple mastectomy with axillary clearance, followed by Radiotherapy if ipsilateral axillary lymphnodes were histologically involved.