Lumpectomy or mastectomy? Breast cancer study answers question

  

January 28, 2013 (WLS) -- For years, there has been a debate over whether some breast cancer patients should get a lumpectomy versus a mastectomy. New information may settle that question.

According to a study in the journal Cancer, early-stage breast cancer patients may be better off going with a lumpectomy followed by radiation.

Researchers followed almost 13,000 women with stage one or stage two breast cancer for at least five years after their diagnosis and treatment. They found those treated with lumpectomy and radiation had a 13 percent lower mortality rate from breast cancer as well as a 19 percent lower mortality rate overall.

Women ages 50 and older at the time of diagnosis saw the greatest benefit.

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