Breast-conserving surgery widely adopted in local hospital

As high as 97 percent of cancer patients with breast-conserving surgery at Shanghai Cancer Center can survive for over five years, a period which technically signifies clinical recovery. The treatment effects have been in line with surgeries that remove the entire breast, hospital officials announced.

Shanghai Cancer Center has been widely promoting breast-conserving surgery for patients with early stages of breast cancer. Such patients should receive radiation therapy to control the cancer.

“Our purpose is to not let early-stage patients lose their breasts while having a similar effect for breast cancer treatment,” said Dr Shao Zhimin, director of the breast surgery department of Shanghai Cancer Center. “We don’t only focus on the long-term survival of breast cancer patients but also their psychology and social demands. Keeping their breasts is very important for early-stage patients for their self-esteem and social communication.”

The hospital has widely adopted breast-conserving and breast reconstruction surgeries for breast cancer patients.

It conducted 1,632 breast-conserving surgeries and 775 breast reconstruction surgeries last year, covering 26.8 percent and 12.7 percent of breast cancer surgeries.

“Radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery can reduce two thirds of the chance of relapse. Radiation is a necessary therapy for most patients in the early stage and having received breast-conserving surgery,” said Guo Xiaomao, president of Shanghai Cancer Center.