To compare the rates of long-term survival according to various clinical and pathological and therapeutic factors and determine the ten-year survival rates and recurrence after radical mastectomy classic (MRC) and modified radical mastectomy (MRM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 72 patients with operable invasive breast carcinoma with negative axilla (n = 38) or positive (n = 34), treated with MRC (n = 57) or MRM (n = 15) Belen Hospital, Trujillo, Peru, from 1 January 1966 to December 31, 1995. RESULTS: The mean age was 47.6 ± 9.5 years (range 30-70 years). The average disease duration was 9 months (range 0.3 to 156 months). The most frequent symptoms or signs were present tumor (100%) and breast (37.5%) pain. The ten-year survival rates in patients treated with MRC and MRM, according to the actuarial Kaplan-Meier method were 58% and 54%, respe...