Less is More? New Study Indicates Less Invasive Treatment May Yield Better Results for Breast Cancer Patients

(CBS News) A new study out of Duke University suggests less invasive treatment for early stage breast cancer may increase survival. The Duke research team analyzed data from 112,154 women diagnosed with Stage 1 or Stage 2 breast cancer between 1990 and 2004. 61,771 of the women received lumpectomy and radiation and 50,383 had mastectomy without radiation.

The researchers found that within three years of diagnosis, breast cancer patients who underwent lumpectomy and radiation had higher survival rates than those who chose mastectomy. The study was based on observational data, so it hints at an association but does not necessarily prove that less invasive treatment is more effective than a mastectomy in the early stage of breast cancer.

Read the full story: http://cbsn.ws/T0x9KH

Source: CBS News