Health headlines: Breast cancer study

(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - Results of a very interesting and important new study on breast cancer have just been released and could have an enormous impact on the way women are treated for early stage breast cancer.

A new federally-funded study says many women with early breast cancer diagnoses do not need surgery.

The study, involving nearly 900 women across the country, found patients who had their lymph nodes removed did not have a higher survival rate than those who did not.

When the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, doctors usually recommend that nodes in the armpit be removed surgically, to reduce the risk of a recurrence. But such removal is painful and can lead to other complications.

Dr. Mehra Golshan, director of breast surgical services at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, helps us understand the study and its impact.