Dr. Giuliano and researchers at other American cancer centers studied almost nine hundred breast cancer patients. In each case, the cancer had spread to no more than two lymph nodes.
Half of the women had the traditional surgery. Doctors removed an average of seventeen lymph nodes. The other half had the simpler operation with just one or two nodes removed. Then both groups received radiation treatment and chemotherapy drugs.
Doctor Giuliano says rates of survival five years later showed that the less invasive operation was just as successful as the more aggressive action.
ARMANDO GIULIANO: "The five-year survival was about ninety-two percent regardless of which operation. And, wonderfully, women who had the sentinel node biopsy alone did just as well as the women who had the more radical operation."
The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Some experts say the findings could change the way surgeons treat early breast cancers that have spread to the lymph nodes. But other doctors say they want more proof before they make a change.
And that's the VOA Special English Health Report. You can get more health news along with transcripts and MP3s of our reports at voaspecialenglish.com. And we invite you to visit the all-new mobile version of our site on your phone or other device. I'm Pat Bodnar.
Contributing: Carol Pearson
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2013-11-25
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25