RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: We retrospectively analyze our experience in conservative treatment for infiltrating advanced breast cancer before implementation of selective sentinel node biopsy, specially focusing on characteristics, incidence, treatment and evolution of local-regional recurrences, disease-free survival time, overall survival and patient's satisfaction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 1984 to 31st December 1998, 739 female patients were operated in our institution, diagnosed as having infiltrating breast cancer. One hundred and eighty-eight patients (25.43%) received conservative treatment and they were followed up until December 2003. RESULTS: Average age when diagnosed was 50.42 years old (24-87 years). 53.19% of the patients were premenopausal. After a median follow-up of 129 months (60-198 months), 13 women (6.91%) presented local -regional recurrence and the disease-free time was 48.4 months (8-108 months). Global survival rate was 83.5% and disease free survival rate was 80.85%. CONCLUSIONS: The management of choice for early stage (I and II) infiltrating breast cancer is nowadays conservative, with a low local-regional recurrence rate and survival rate that are comparable to radical mastectomy, according to the literature. It's a safe and efficient method that let us preserve the breast with a good esthetical result. In selected cases, when a regional recurrence occurs, a second conservative management is possible with a good control of the disease, although the most widely accepted treatment in these cases is total mastectomy.