For early stage breast cancer patients, should lumpectomy + RT be recommended over mastectomy?  

Randomized trials in the 1980s demonstrated equivalent survival and disease control outcomes for lumpectomy + RT vs mastectomy, but several recent population-based studies, including this report from the Netherlands, suggest an advantage to lumpectomy + RT for early stage patients. How can we reconcile level 1 evidence from an older era with population-based studies in the modern era? What is the optimal treatment to recommend for women with early stage breast cancer?



Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice