The conservative management of primary breast cancer

A comparison was made of the methods used to manage primary breast cancer in Western Australia during 1978 and 1984. It was noted that the incidence of breast-conserving surgery increased from 5% in 1978 (16 out of 313 patients) to 14% in 1984 (59 out of 431 patients). Of the 59 patients in the latter group, 37 (63%) did not receive adjuvant radiotherapy. This is a matter of concern as failure to use adjuvant radiotherapy, subsequent to breast-conserving surgery, may lead to an increased incidence of locally recurrent disease.