Simple Mastectomy and Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Breast Cancer

An account has been presented of the work commenced in Edinburgh in 1941 in an effort to develop an improved method of treatment of breast cancer. Reasons have been given for the adoption of the present method. It should be noted that simple mastectomy and radiotherapy represents an attempt at a more radical approach to the treatment of breast cancer than is feasible by surgery and that full treatment can be extended to a much higher proportion of patients than is possible by surgical methods alone. The results obtained in a group of patients where every effort was made to avoid selection have been presented. Because of the important part it plays in the treatment, a satisfactory radiotherapy service is essential before the method is more widely adopted.