In early-stage breast cancer, what is the primary curative treatment?

• A. Chemotherapy
• B. Radiation
• C. Hormone Therapy
• D. Surgery

Answer: (D)

In early-stage breast cancer, the goal is to remove the cancer with the aim of cure, and the most effective way to do that is to surgically excise the tumor with clear margins. This is typically done as breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) with a sentinel lymph node biopsy or as a mastectomy, depending on the specifics of the case. After surgery, additional therapies like radiation, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy are used to reduce the risk of recurrence and treat any microscopic disease, but they are adjuncts to the surgical removal itself rather than the primary curative step. Therefore, the surgery that physically removes the tumor is the primary curative treatment.