[Treatment results in pT2, NO1 breast cancer. )A retrospective analysis of 85 cases)]

The authors report on 85 T2 breast carcinoma treated from March 1984 to February 1991. The median age was 55.7 years (range: 24-82). The most common type of tumor was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (88.2%). T pathological diameter was in 69 cases < or = 3 cm (81.2%). 47 patients showed pathologically positive axillary nodes (55.3%). Radical mastectomy with total axillary dissection, preferably modified by Patey or Madden (78.8%), was the treatment of choice. Only 5 patients were submitted to conservative surgery (quadrantectomy plus radiotherapy). Mean follow-up time was 42 months. For all considered patients, crude and without evident disease 3 and 5 years actuarial survival was evaluated. Distant metastases were observed in a total of 12/85 patients (14.1%), mainly in N+ with more than 3 nodes (31.5%) three times associated to loco-regional failures. Results at June 1992, as occurrence of first failure from the date of surgery are described. Different therapeutic managements are discussed. Prognosis of T2 breast carcinoma remains still poor. Limited surgery in association with radiotherapy and/or pre- and postoperative chemotherapy in N+ patients with more than 3 nodes or N- patients with high cell proliferation index, seems to be encouraging to T2 cases with a diameter less than 3 cm, when local conditions are suitable for good final aesthetic results.