The role of surgery in advanced carcinoma of the breast

The role of surgery in the management of advanced carcinoma of the breast is controversial. Locally advanced carcinoma may present as a primary tumour or as recurrent disease. Treatment should be the result of a multi-disciplinary approach and may involve one or more different modalities. Minor surgery is usually meddlesome and often followed by local recurrence which is hard to control. Major resection does have a place, often in association with other modalities of treatment, and its use in carefully selected patients is described in this paper.