[Controversy on the treatment of early breast cancer]

Ten year survival rate following modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer with stage I was 84 per cent. Sixteen per cent of them had metastases in the axillary lymph nodes. However, setting limits to under 1.0 centimeter in diameter of the tumor, rate of the axillary metastases was 7 per cent. In addition to it, using the X ray mammography and the histological examination of the biopsied specimen, an early breast cancer without metastasis could be selected rather accurately, that is the axillary dissection could be saved for such early breast cancer. On the other hand, it was recognized that intramammary multicenctricity was 96 cases, (8.5%), in 970 breast cancer, residual cancer following the excisional biopsy was 61 cases (32%) in 176 breast cancer, and breast cancer risk following microdochectomy for intraductal papillary lesions was 6.7%. Accordingly, now that a lesion is certified as breast cancer, total mastectomy is required at least.