Does surgery modify growth kinetics of breast cancer micrometastases?

Abstract

Surgery should be considered as a major perturbing factor for metastasis development in laboratory animals. The different time distribution of mortality for 1173 patients undergoing mastectomy in comparison with 250 untreated patients suggests that primary tumour removal could result in changes of the metastatic process even for breast cancer. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com.