ABSTRACT
A total of 1089 eligible patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer were randomized to radical mastectomy or total mastectomy with or without radiotherapy. 17.8% of patients treated with total mastectomy developed an axillary recurrence and underwent delayed axillary dissection. Despite this, the 10-year results showed no statistically significant differences in freedom from distant failure or overall survival among the treatment arms. Local control was similar for radical mastectomy and total mastectomy and radiotherapy. An additional 586 patients with clinically-postive axillary nodes were randomized to radical mastectomy or total mastectomy and radiotherapy and there were no differences in 10-year results between these arms.
