CO2 laser in cancer surgery of the breast: a comparative clinical study.

Review of the literature reveals little to no data regarding the use of the CO2 laser as a surgical modality in the local treatment of breast cancer. This study was undertaken to determine if the CO2 laser is a surgical improvement over the scalpel, influencing patient care during the surgical and postsurgical period. In the author's series, a total of 209 procedures were performed. Within this group, 105 cases were performed with CO2 laser and 104 cases performed with the scalpel. Biopsies were always performed as a separate procedure prior to definitive surgery. This study was not designed to compare cure rates, the medical follow-up period being 1 year. The results of this study demonstrate a significant improvement in patients' postoperative care, surgical technique, and hospital cost-effectiveness.