This paper presents an analysis of 55 cases of radical mastectomy in the light of the factors which influence the prognosis of mammary carcinoma.

This analysis shows that even if the disease is clinically in the “early” stage, extensive microscopic axillary metastases may be found, and even if the disease seems to be of clinically limited extent and no microscopic axillary metastases exist, it might already have reached a hopeless stage.

Most of the local recurrences and distant metastases in this series were seen in the second post-operative year. There were no deaths in the first post-operative year.