Feasibility of Breast Conservation: an 11-year Study
Dr. Orr began collecting data on his breast surgical practice in Massachusetts in 1990. With the help of two research grants from The
University of Massachusetts Medical School, he was able to carefully analyze his entire breast surgery practice from 1986 –1997. The primary
objective of the study was to establish the feasibility and results of breast conserving surgery for all patients.
During the study period, Dr. Orr operated upon 570 women with breast cancer. Twenty-two patients were not included in this study because
they had advanced disease at the time of their original office visit.
Breast conservation (lumpectomy) was performed in 74% of women with breast cancer and mastectomy in 26%. Ability to save the breast was
related to the size of the tumor, and whether it was mammographically detected (see Figure 1), but not related to patient age.
At the time of completion of the study (with median follow-up = 6 years), only 5% of the lumpectomy patients had experienced a recurrence of
the cancer in her breast. Each of these patients underwent mastectomy at the time of recurrence.
The overall survival was actually better for the lumpectomy patients (Figure 2), probably because these patients had smaller tumors. By
using sophisticated statistical analysis, Dr. Orr’s study agrees with many other investigators, showing that preserving the breast is
feasible in most women with breast cancer and does not decrease survival.
