There is no ideal single operation for breast cancer. In planning the choice of surgery for breast cancer, one must be aware of its multicentric origin, and of the regional spread from the breast to the axillary and internal mammary lymph nodes. The scope of the surgical attack should be correlated with the clinical pathologic extent of disease in the individual patient with the aim of removing all disease present, while preserving appearance and function to the utmost. The main goal remains removal of all disease from the breast and its regional nodes. Three distinct operative procedures have been utilized--modified radical mastectomy--total mastectomy with axillary dissection, radical mastectomy, and extended radical mastectomy. In all instances, the appropriate operation is applied to the individual, with the concept of removing most efficiently all disease present in the breast and regional nodes. With this plan of therapy, a 10 year survival rate of 61% with a local recurrence rat of 7.7% has been attained in a group of 565 patients with 40% axillary node involvement. These data are crude and uncorrected for age, intercurrent disease and for those lost to follow-up. The best salvage has been attained in the so-called "minimal" breast cancers--95% well 10 years following modified radical mastectomy. The extended radical mastectomy has been superior to the radical mastectomy when axillary node disease is present. In the more complete operation, 54% 10 year survival has been attained in patients with axillary node metastases, compared with only 33% attained in those treated by the conventional radical mastectomy. Adjuvant radiation therapy is applied to the adjacent regional nodes, when indicated. Adjuvant multi-chemotherapy is in its infancy and still to be evaluated. It should be used as a supplement to adequate primary surgical treatment, and should not be used as a crutch for inadequate primary surgery.