ABSTRACT
Seventy eight patients with operable breast cancer and positive axillary lymph nodes were included in this study. Adjuvant chemotherapy [CMF] was given after mastectomy and post-operative radiotherapy. The 3 year disease free survival for the whole group was 52.9% and 50% for premenopausals and postmenopausals respectively. Among the premenopausal group survival of patients was, 66.6% for T1 and T2 tumours vs. 42% for T3 andT4 tumours and 79% for women with less than 3 positive axillary nodes vs. 38.6% for those with more than 3 positive nodes in the premenopausal group. Differences were statistically significant. Similar differences were shown in the postmenpausal group but statistically insignificant. CMF seems effective only in those with less than 3 positive axillary lymph nodes. The efficacy of more potent chemotherapy in patients with more than 3 positive nodes has to be explored