- Arm II: Patients receive chemotherapy only as in arm I. Within 60 days after completion of thermochemotherapy or chemotherapy alone, patients in both arms undergo total mastectomy, partial mastectomy, or other breast-conserving surgery, as appropriate. At the discretion of the physician, beginning after completion of chemotherapy, patients in both arms who are estrogen receptor positive may receive oral tamoxifen. Within 4 weeks after completion of chemotherapy and surgery, eligible patients in both arms also undergo radiotherapy to the breast and lymph nodes.