BackgroundThe objective of this study was to explore the effect of conservative surgery plus postoperative axillary radiotherapy without axillary lymph node dissection vs. modified radical mastectomy in patients with stage I breast cancer. Patients and MethodsIn this study, 186 patients with stage I breast cancer were enrolled. Among them, 98 patients underwent breast-conserving surgery without axillary node dissection. From the first day after surgery, each of them received 6 cycles of CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy, and thereafter radical radiotherapy for 5 to 6 weeks. Eighty-eight patients received modified radical mastectomy with postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The clinical data of these 186 patients were analyzed. ResultsThere was no significant difference (P > .05) in local recurrence and survival rates between the conservative plus axillary radiotherapy group and the modified radical mastectomy group, although a significantly greater incidence of upper limb dysfunction and edema were observed in the modified mastectomy group (P < .05). ConclusionThe efficacy of conservative surgery plus axillary radiotherapy alone is superior to that of axillary node dissection for stage I breast cancer patients.