Patients with biopsy proven breast cancer, clinical stage I and II, will be randomized to receive treatment by one of two methods: (1) total mastectomy and axillary dissection; or (2) excisional biopsy, axillary dissection, and definitive irradiation.
Data from single institutions and from retrospective comparisons suggest that definitive irradiation with cosmetically acceptable breast preservation offers survival and local control results equivalent to extirpative surgery. This study will test this hypothesis in a prospective, randomized manner. After primary therapy, subjects will be followed for: (1) survival; (2) sites of recurrence; (3) anatomic function; (4) complications of therapy; and (5) cosmesis.
