Aim: This study aimed to compare breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and modified radical mastectomy (MRM) in patients with early-stage breast carcinoma. Background: Breast cancer is a significant global health concern, being the most common cancer among women, with approximately two million new cases and over 500,000 deaths reported annually. Surgical intervention is a cornerstone of breast cancer treatment, with breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and modified radical mastectomy (MRM) being the two main surgical options. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of BCS and MRM in patients with early-stage breast cancer. Material & Method: A prospective observational study was conducted involving 74 patients, with a minimum follow-up period of 18 months. The study took place in the Department of Surgery at VIMSAR, BURLA between July 2018 and July 2021. Participants were divided into two groups: Group A (n=37) underwent BCS, and Group B (n=37) underwent MRM for early-stage breast cancer. Results: The mean age of patients was 47.65 years in the BCS group and 48.19 years in the MRM group. The average operative time for BCS was 1.04±0.25 hours, while it was 3.20±0.48 hours for MRM. The MRM group experienced a statistically significant higher volume of postoperative drainage compared to the BCS group (p<0.001). The BCS group demonstrated a significantly higher rate of excellent aesthetic outcomes (p<0.0001) and reported a better quality of life than the MRM group. Conclusions: Both BCS and MRM are oncologically sound treatment options for early-stage breast cancer when implemented with a multidisciplinary approach. BCS is associated with less trauma, fewer infections, shorter hospital stays, improved aesthetic outcomes, and a better quality of life compared to MRM. These findings suggest that BCS should be more widely promoted as a preferred clinical approach for treating early-stage breast cancer.

Breast cancer, Breast-conserving surgery, Modified radical mastectomy (MRM)