A 53-year-old woman presents with a 1-cm invasive carcinoma of the breast, detected on mammography. She feels well and has no other symptoms. On examination the lump is palpable, and there are no axillary lymph nodes. Which of the following is the most appropriate local therapy for her tumor?
High-Yield Explanation
Breast-conserving surgery is now recommended for small tumors. Radiation therapy will decrease local recurrence rates. For tumors < 1 cm, adjuvant therapy is indicated only if axillary nodes are positive. Therefore, in this case, an axillary dissection will provide important therapeutic information. However, this is an area of rapidly changing knowledge and practice.