[Modified radical mastectomy. Experience of the Institut J. Bordet (author's transl)]

The authors report the results of a homogeneous series of 319 modified radical mastectomies where both pectoralis muscles are respected, in the treatment of breast cancer. Operative mortality is nill and morbidity is low. Persistant lymphedema of the arm is not marked. The frequency of axillary nodes is 64%. Local recurrences occur in 12% of cases. Total 5 year survival was 50.1%. It was 89% for stage I, 57.3% for stage II and 43.7% for stage 222. It was 61.5% if there were no involved nodes, 63.9% when 1 to 3 nodes were involved and 32% when 4 or more nodes were involved. The authors recommend this type of operation of tumors of state II and III as the 5 year survival is identical to that of other techniques, as morbidity and mortality are low and distant sequellae are unimportant.