Patient-reported Quality of Life and Satisfaction With Cosmetic Outcomes After Breast Conservation and Mastectomy With and Without Reconstruction: Results of a Survey of Breast Cancer Survivors. Ann Surg. 2015;261:1198-1206. [PMID: 25654742 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000000908]

Breast reconstruction in France, observational study of 140,904 cases of mastectomy for breast cancer

OBJECTIVES

In France, there are few up-to-date epidemiological data on breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer. The objective of the present study was to measure immediate and delayed breast reconstruction (IBR and DBR, respectively) rates and thus the proportion of patients not benefiting from any reconstruction.

METHODS

We performed an observational study by assessing data from the French nationwide discharge summary database (Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Information) for the period 2008-2014. All women having undergone a total mastectomy for breast cancer during this period were included. We then searched for reconstructive surgery during the initial or subsequent hospital stays, and recorded the time interval between mastectomy and reconstruction.

RESULTS

Among the 140,904 mastectomies included, the IBR rate was 16.1% on average, and increased over the study period. The time interval between mastectomy and DBR was≤3 years in 92% of cases. For patients included in 2008 and 2009, the DBR rate was 17.8%, and the non-reconstruction rate was 66.4%.

CONCLUSION

The high proportion of women not undergoing breast reconstruction after mastectomy suggests that access to this procedure should be improved.

Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) following mastectomy with breast reconstruction or without reconstruction: a systematic review

The cornerstone of reconstructive surgery following mastectomy is to restore cosmesis and improve physical and psychological health. Consequently, it has become essential for instruments that measure surgical outcomes to include the direct perspective of patients. Many reviews have failed to show significant improvements in quality of life domains following breast reconstruction compared to mastectomy alone. However, with advances in surgical techniques and patient reported outcome measure (PROM) assessment tools designed precisely for breast reconstruction patients, a modern systematic review is warranted. An electronic literature review was performed using CINAHL, Cochrane Library and Medline (using PubMed) comparing patient reported outcome measures of patients undergoing mastectomy alone versus patients undergoing mastectomy with breast reconstruction. Studies in the English and Portuguese languages since the year 2000 were included. The review was undertaken adhering to PRISMA guidelines with last entry on the 31/5/2018. Full text review yield 42 articles of relevance to the inclusion criteria. The most widely used PROM instruments such as Breast-Q, EORTC-Q30/Q23, Short Form 36, FACT-B and others are explored. The specific difficulties conducting such studies and biases identified are investigated further. Studies comparing mastectomy alone against mastectomy with reconstruction show difficulties forming groups with similar clinical and epidemiological characteristics. There are inherent limitations to performing a randomised controlled trial on this topic, including matching patient groups in terms of age, socioeconomical background and cancer staging, and this affects the results of the PROM instruments. Within these limitations, the literature suggests that PROM support the use of breast reconstruction following mastectomy but care must be made selecting patients. The finding is supported by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines which state that breast reconstruction should be offered to all women undergoing breast cancer surgery.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for Breast Reconstruction: Pooled Meta-Analysis of 10 Observational Studies Involving 1,838 Patients

Purpose: This study aims to explore the effectiveness and safety of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol vs. traditional perioperative care programs for breast reconstruction.

Methods: Three electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) were searched for observational studies comparing an ERAS program with a traditional perioperative care program from database inception to 5 May 2018. Two reviewers independently screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted the data, and evaluated study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. The outcomes included the length of hospital stay (LOS), complication rates, pain control, costs, emergency department visits, hospital readmission, and unplanned reoperation.

Results: Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with a conventional program, ERAS was associated with significantly decreased LOS, morphine administration (including postoperative patient-controlled analgesia usage rate and duration; intravenous morphine administration on postoperative day [POD] 0, 1, 2, and 4; total intravenous morphine administration on POD 0–3; oral morphine consumption on POD 0–4; and total postoperative oral morphine consumption), and pain scores (postoperative pain score on POD 0 and total pain score on POD 0–3). The other variables did not differ significantly.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that ERAS protocols can decrease LOS and morphine equivalent dosing; therefore, further larger, and better-quality studies that report on bleeding amount and patient satisfaction are needed to validate our findings.

A Comparison of Patient-Reported Outcomes After Breast-Conserving Surgery and Mastectomy with Implant Breast Reconstruction

BACKGROUND

Many factors influence decisions regarding choice of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) versus mastectomy with reconstruction for early invasive breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to compare patient satisfaction following BCS and mastectomy with implant reconstruction (M-iR) utilizing the BREAST-Q patient-reported outcome measure.

METHODS

Women with stage I or II breast cancer undergoing BCS or M-iR who completed a BREAST-Q from 2010 to 2016 were identified by retrospective review of a prospective database. Baseline characteristics were compared, and linear mixed models were used to analyze associations with BREAST-Q scores over time.

RESULTS

Our study group was composed of 3233 women; 2026 (63%) had BCS, 123 (3.8%) had nipple-sparing mastectomy, and 1084 (34%) had skin-sparing or total mastectomy. Median time from surgery to BREAST-Q was 205 days for BCS and 639 days for M-iR (p < 0.001). Regardless of type of surgery, breast satisfaction scores decreased significantly over time (p < 0.001), whereas psychosocial (p = 0.001) and sexual (p = 0.004) well-being scores increased significantly over time. BCS was associated with significantly higher scores over time compared with M-iR across all subscales (all p < 0.001). Radiation was significantly associated with decreased scores over time across all subscales (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Breast satisfaction and quality-of-life scores were higher for BCS compared with M-iR in early-stage invasive breast cancer. These findings may help in counseling women who have a choice for surgical treatment. Breast satisfaction scores decreased over time in all women, highlighting the need for further evaluation with longer follow-up.

Assessment of quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer patients by using EORTC QLQ-C30 and BR-23 questionnaires: A tertiary care center survey in the western region of Saudi Arabia

This cross-sectional study is aimed at assessing the quality of life in a cohort of breast cancer patients at the Oncology Department, King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA), and to differentiate QoL among different groups. Mean time since diagnosis was 3.97±1.90 years. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaires—Core30 and BR23 (EORTC QLQ-C30 & BR23) were used to assess QoL in breast cancer survivors. ANOVA and independent t-test (parametric tests) were used for the categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests used for non-parametric tests. Linear regression analysis was done to measure predictors’ significance and to calculate the coefficient of determination. Two hundred and eighty-four patients completed the survey. Global health status and functional scales, in most of the domains, were high, while symptom scales were moderate-to-low for most items, showing better QoL. Insomnia and fatigue were the most disturbing symptoms. Patients exhibited higher scores for body image and future perspective, while the least score is for sexual functioning. Global health, physical functioning, and role functioning were better in the age group ≤50 years (p<0.05). Premenopausal and perimenopausal patients showed a better level of functioning as compared to postmenopausal patients (p = 0.001). Premenopausal patients scored higher for sexual enjoyment, as compared to peri- and post-menopausal patients (p = 0.04). Systemic therapy side effects were more evident in the breast conservative surgery group. Predictors explained 8% of the variation in Physical functioning (R-squared = 0.08). A predictor that had a remarkable influence on physical functioning, as compared to the other predictors in the model, was menopausal status (P = 0.02). So, it was concluded that the breast cancer patients visiting our institute had a better quality of life regarding overall global health status as well as functional and symptom scales. Some issues, for instance, fatigue, insomnia, hair loss, and others, warrant good supportive therapy.

A structured pathway for accelerated postoperative recovery reduces hospital stay and cost of care following microvascular breast reconstruction without increased complications

INTRODUCTION

Accelerated recovery protocols have proved effective in many surgical procedures but are infrequently applied in breast reconstruction. In this study, we evaluate the impact of a structured pathway for accelerated postoperative recovery in patients undergoing microvascular breast reconstruction at a high-volume center.

METHODS

We describe our care pathway for patients undergoing deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction at our center. We compared length of stay (LOS), complication rates, readmission rates, and cost of inpatient care before (pre-protocol (Pre-P)) and after (post-protocol (Post-P)) the implementation of the protocol.

RESULTS

Patients in the Post-P group (n = 198) had a significant reduction in mean LOS as compared to those in the Pre-P (n = 183) group (3.6 +/- 0.85 vs. 4.7 +/-1.04 days, p = 0.006). There was no significant difference in the rates of major (Pre-P 16.9% vs. Post-P 14.7%, p = 0.71) or minor (Pre-P 21.3% vs. 17.1%, p = 0.22) postoperative complications between groups. The readmission rates were also similar (Pre-P 6.5% vs. Post-P 4.5, p = 0.69). Implementation of the protocol resulted in a significant reduction in the mean cost of in-patient care.

CONCLUSION

A simple protocol for accelerated and streamlined postoperative recovery effectively reduces LOS and patient care costs following DIEP flap breast reconstruction without compromising patient safety.

Local Therapy Decisional Regret in Older Women With Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Study

PURPOSE

Older women with nonmetastatic breast cancer can often choose from several surgery and radiation treatment options. Little is known regarding how these choices contribute to decisional regret, which is a negative emotion reflecting the idea that another surgery or radiation decision might have been preferable. We sought to characterize the burden of and examine potential risk factors for local therapy decisional regret among a population-based cohort of older breast cancer survivors.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

National Medicare claims for age ≥67 female breast cancer incident in 2009 identified patients treated with lumpectomy plus whole-breast irradiation, brachytherapy, or endocrine therapy or mastectomy with or without radiation. We sampled 330 patients per treatment group (N = 1650), of whom 1253 agreed to receive a paper survey including the Decisional Regret Scale and EQ-5D-3L Health-Utility Scale. Local therapy regret was defined as neutral or worse response to questions regarding surgery- or radiation-related decisional regret. Local therapy regret risk factors were evaluated using a multivariable generalized linear model. Association of local therapy regret with health utility was modeled using multivariable linear regression.

RESULTS

The response rate was 30.2% (n = 498 of 1650); 421 surveys were included in this analysis. Median diagnosis age was 72 years, and surveys were completed 6 years after diagnosis. Overall, 23.8% of respondents (n = 100) reported experiencing local therapy decisional regret. Type of local therapy was not associated with local therapy regret. Predictors of increased regret included black race (risk ratio [RR], 2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-3.29), high school education or less (RR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.27-2.75), and axillary nodal dissection (RR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.33-3.41). Local therapy regret was not associated with health utility (P = .37).

CONCLUSIONS

Local therapy regret afflicts nearly one quarter of our cohort of older breast cancer survivors, and it is associated with black race, less education, and more extensive nodal dissection, but not breast surgery. Regret is distinct from health utility, suggesting that it is a unique psychosocial construct that merits further study and mitigation strategies.

Patient-Reported Satisfaction Following Radiation of Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction

Background

Little is known with regard to patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in the setting of implant-based reconstruction (IBR) with post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT).

Methods

We identified patients who underwent immediate IBR from a prospectively compiled database. The Breast Reconstruction Satisfaction Questionnaire (BRECON-31) was scored and compared between patients with and without PMRT.

Results

Sixty-four women met the study criteria. Forty-eight did not receive PMRT and 16 did. Nine women had an unanticipated indication for PMRT. The PMRT group was similar to the control group with regard to baseline characteristics (ie, age, marital status, body mass index, tobacco use, and comorbidities). However, treatment and oncologic characteristics (eg, diagnosis, tumour characteristics, systemic therapy use) differed. Of all complications, only capsular contracture rates differed (1.2% vs 13%; P = .01). Of the 9 subscales, 7 showed no difference in satisfaction between the groups. Radiated women scored lower in the arm concerns and breast appearance subscales. Scores were similar whether the indication for PMRT had been anticipated or not.

Discussion

Women with immediate IBR scored similarly to their nonradiated counterparts across 7 of 9 domains of satisfaction. Arm concerns and breast appearance scores are lower with PMRT, likely secondarily to more extensive nodal procedures in higher stage patients and to the side effect profile of radiotherapy. Our findings are in line with the few available studies using other PRO tools to evaluate the impact of PMRT on patient satisfaction and studies objectively measuring the effect of PMRT on arm morbidity and cosmetic outcomes.

Psychosocial Functioning in Women with Early Breast Cancer Treated with Breast Surgery With or Without Immediate Breast Reconstruction

PURPOSE

To compare psychosocial function outcomes in early breast cancer patients treated with breast-conserving surgery (BCS), mastectomy alone (MA), and mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) at 1 year after surgery.

METHODS

Early-stage (stage 0-2) breast cancer patients treated with BCS, MA, and IBR at the University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada between May 1 2015 and July 31 2016 were prospectively enrolled. Their changes in psychosocial functioning from baseline to 12 months following surgery were compared by using the BREAST-Q, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Impact of Event Scale with ANOVA and linear regression.

RESULTS

There were 303 early-stage breast cancer patients: 155 underwent BCS, 78 MA, and 70 IBR. After multivariable regression accounting for age, baseline score, income, education, receipt of chemoradiation or hormonal therapy, ethnicity, cancer stage, and unilateral versus bilateral surgery, breast satisfaction was highest in BCS (72.1, SD 19.6), followed by IBR (60.0, SD 18.0), and MA (49.9, SD 78.0) at 12 months, p < 0.001. Immediate breast reconstruction had similar psychosocial well-being (69.9, SD 20.6) compared with BCS (78.5, SD 20.6), p = 0.07. Sexual and chest physical well-being were similar between IBR, BCS, and MA, p > 0.05.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found that in a multidisciplinary breast cancer centre where all three breast ablative and reconstruction options are available to early breast cancer patients, either BCS or IBR can be used to provide patients with a higher degree of satisfaction and psychosocial well-being compared with MA in the long-term.

The Influence of Surgical Specialty on Oncoplastic Breast Reconstruction

BACKGROUND

The integration of oncological surgery with reconstructive techniques has gained popularity in the treatment of breast cancer. oncoplastic reconstruction after partial mastectomy can be performed by the breast surgeon or in cooperation with a consulted plastic surgeon. This study aims to objectively assess the differences in outcomes for partial mastectomy and subsequent oncoplastic reconstruction performed by either general surgery alone or in combination with a plastic and reconstructive surgery team.

METHODS

Unilateral oncoplastic breast reconstruction cases were extracted from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases from 2005 to 2017. Outcomes of cases performed by the general surgery team alone were compared with those in which the partial mastectomy was performed by the general surgeon with subsequent reconstruction performed by plastic surgeons. To account for cohort baseline differences, propensity score-matched analysis was performed.

RESULTS

In total, 4,350 patients were included in this study; 3,759 procedures were performed by general surgery alone versus 591 combined with plastic surgery. The analysis of propensity score-matched cohorts, comprising 490 patients each, showed no statistical difference in the risk for postoperative complications when surgery was performed by either of the 2 specialty services. A longer operative time and length of stay were found in the group reconstructed by plastic surgeons.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found no significant differences in adverse postoperative outcomes for oncoplastic reconstructions after partial mastectomy between the 2 groups. The data may indicate collaboration between both surgical specialties in oncoplastic breast care was not associated with increased morbidity in these patients.

How do breast cancer surgery scars impact survivorship? Findings from a nationwide survey in the United States

Background

The surgical treatment of breast cancer has been associated with negative consequences for patients’ body image, sexual functioning, mental health, and social adjustment. Recent advances in the surgical approach to breast cancer allow the oncologic surgeon to safely optimize cosmetic outcomes. Little is known about the possible relevance of surgical scars. The aim of this research was to gather the perspective of breast cancer survivors themselves on the issue of surgical scars and their negative impact on survivorship.

Methods

An internet survey was conducted nationwide in the United States among women who reported being surgically treated by lumpectomy, mastectomy, or both procedures for breast cancer. To improve generalizability, census-based enrollment quotas were applied for geographic region, health insurance, and income.

Results

The five hundred respondents reported lumpectomy only (n = 215), mastectomy only (n = 140), or both surgeries (n = 132). In response to the statement, “I do not like the location of my surgical scar”, 64% of lumpectomy-only respondents and 67% of mastectomy-only respondents agreed somewhat or strongly. Only 26% of lumpectomy respondents and 14% of mastectomy respondents reported minimal or no negative impact as a consequence of the surgical scars.

Conclusion

Consistent with previous literature, this nationwide US survey shows that the majority of women feel negatively affected by their breast cancer surgery scars. Surgeons should consider this outcome when planning surgery, which may improve patients’ survivorship journey.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-5553-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Evaluation of Prepectoral Implant Placement and Complete Coverage with TiLoop Bra Mesh for Breast Reconstruction: A Prospective Study on Long-Term and Patient-Reported BREAST-Q Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Breast reconstruction is rapidly evolving, because of the changing face of cancer surgery and the growing acceptance of acellular dermal matrices and synthetic meshes. Although some early reports showed encouraging results after prepectoral breast reconstruction, there is a paucity of data on long-term outcomes.

METHODS

Between January of 2012 and March of 2015, 179 patients undergoing mastectomy were enrolled at the authors' institution. Patients underwent mastectomy and immediate prepectoral breast reconstruction with the definitive implant entirely wrapped in a titanium-coated polypropylene mesh (TiLoop). The BREAST-Q questionnaire was administered before surgery and after 2 years. Capsular contracture was evaluated using the Baker scale. Oncologic, surgical, and aesthetic outcomes and changes in BREAST-Q score were analyzed over time.

RESULTS

Average follow-up was 38.5 months. A total of 250 mastectomies were performed. The locoregional recurrence rate was 2.1 percent. Complications requiring reoperation were recorded in six patients (2.4 percent) and implant removal was necessary in three cases (1.2 percent), followed by reconstruction with submuscular expanders. Grade IV capsular contracture was detected in five breasts (2 percent), whereas 212 breasts were evaluated as grade I (84.8 percent), 28 breasts as grade II (11.2 percent), and five breasts as grade III (2 percent). Patients reported significant high rates in the BREAST-Q overall Satisfaction with Outcome (73.8), overall Satisfaction with Breasts (72.5), Psychosocial Well-being (77.7), and Sexual Well-being (57.9), scoring a significant increase in these domains from the preoperative period to the postoperative period (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The authors report encouraging results of a prepectoral direct-to-implant reconstruction technique using a synthetic mesh, supporting the evaluation of the muscle-sparing subcutaneous approach as a valid alternative to traditional submuscular reconstruction.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, IV.

Immediate Reconstruction Swing Room Scheduling Reduces Wait Times to Surgery and Increases Breast Reconstruction Rates

BACKGROUND

Despite benefits in quality of life, patient satisfaction, overall healthcare costs, and number of surgeries, historically fewer than 30% of patients undergo immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy for breast cancer. A paucity of qualified oncologic and plastic surgeons coupled with inefficient use of operating room (OR) resources presents challenges in offering immediate breast reconstruction in a timely manner. To address these challenges, an immediate reconstruction swing room (IRSW) program was developed.

METHODS

IRSW scheduling leverages two concurrently running ORs, with the surgical oncologist and plastic surgeon moving between rooms to complete 2-4 combined mastectomy cases with immediate reconstruction, in addition to 1-2 independent cases, each operative day. The final year of traditional booking was compared with IRSW scheduling to assess wait times and reconstruction rates.

RESULTS

Comparing the 2 years, fewer surgical breast cases were performed with IRSW scheduling (1250 vs. 1178), however the overall number of oncology cases increased from 735 (59%) to 857 (73%). The number of immediate reconstructions performed increased from 75 to 139 (p < 0.0001), which reflects a mean of 1.2 IR cases versus 2.9 combined cases in IRSW. Overall, this facilitated an increase in the rate of immediate reconstruction following therapeutic mastectomy from 35 to 49% (p = 0.0004) and decreased wait times from core biopsy to surgery from 70 to 52 days (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

A multidisciplinary model with optimized scheduling has the potential to improve resource utilization and access to breast cancer care.

The Effect of Smoking and Body Mass Index on The Complication Rate of Alloplastic Breast Reconstruction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of smoking and body mass index on the occurrence of complications after alloplastic breast reconstruction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A consecutive series of 56 patients treated with immediate or delayed alloplastic breast reconstruction, including six cases combined with latissimus dorsi flap, at three hospitals between 2012 and 2018 were included. Complications were scored and defined according to Clavien-Dindo. To evaluate the impact of smoking, body mass index, and other potential risk factors on the occurrence of any and severe complications, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

In 56 patients, 22 patients had a complication. As much as 46% of smokers had severe complications compared to 18% of non-smokers. Of patients with body mass index ⩾ 25, 40% had severe complications compared to 10% with body mass index < 25. Smokers had eight times more chance of developing severe complications than non-smokers (OR_adjusted = 8.0, p = 0.02). Patients with body mass index ⩾ 25 had almost 10 times more severe complications compared to patients with body mass index ⩽ 25 (OR_adjusted = 9.9, p = 0.009). No other risk factors were significant.

CONCLUSION

Smoking and body mass index ⩾ 25 both increased the complication rate to such an extent that patients should be informed about their increased risk for complications following alloplastic breast reconstruction and on these grounds surgeons may delay alloplastic breast reconstruction. It is an ethical dilemma whether one should deny overweight and obese patients and those who smoke an immediate alloplastic breast reconstruction. For both life style interventions, adequate guidance should be made available.

Overview of Breast Cancer Therapy

Breast cancer treatment is multidisciplinary. Most women with early stage breast cancer are candidates for breast-conserving surgery with radiotherapy or mastectomy. The risk of local recurrence and the chance of survival does not differ with these approaches. Sentinel node biopsy is used for axillary staging, and individualized approaches are minimizing the need for axillary dissection in women with positive sentinel nodes. Adjuvant systemic therapy is used in most women based on proven survival benefit, and molecular profiling to individualize treatment based on risk is now a clinical reality for patients with hormone receptor-positive cancers.

Breast Reconstruction and Radiation Therapy

Purpose:

The optimal approach to the integration of postmastectomy reconstruction and radiation therapy is not well-established. This review will summarize current literature pertaining to the most common types of reconstruction in the setting of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT).

Data Sources:

Literature from PubMed was reviewed from 2000 to 2016.

Study Selection:

Studies were selected with relevance to “postmastectomy breast reconstruction,” “breast reconstruction,” and “breast reconstructive methods and PMRT.” Surgical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness were examined.

Data Extraction:

Data from publications was extracted, summarized, and converted to a table.

Results of Data Synthesis:

Implant-based techniques are on the rise, in the setting of PMRT. Implant-based methods are more affordable in the short term and result in immediate breast-mound formation compared to autologous methods. When compared to implant-based reconstruction with PMRT, autologous reconstruction with PMRT results in better quality of life (QoL) and sensory recovery as well as fewer complications and failures. Among autologous flaps, deep inferior epigastric perforator flaps are considered superior to transverse rectus abdominal muscle (TRAM) pedicled flaps and may be more suitable for PMRT. Latissimus dorsi and muscle-sparing free TRAM flaps are also viable options. In delayed autologous, which may be advantageous for high-risk patients, the optimal timing to delay surgery after radiation therapy is unknown. Reconstruction with a 2-stage tissue expander-implant technique offers good to excellent cosmetic outcomes in the setting of PMRT, although there may be complications in this 2-stage process.

Conclusion:

Surgical, cosmetic, quality of life, and life expectancy must be taken into account when selecting the way to integrate breast reconstruction and PMRT.

Geographic variations in racial disparities in postmastectomy breast reconstruction: A SEER database analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine whether racial disparities in reconstruction in the United States vary by geographic region. The SEER database years 2000-2013 was queried for all mastectomies in women ages 20-85+. Logistic regression was used to examine the main effects and interaction of race and geographic region on reconstruction. Hot spot Analysis was used to examine clustering of reconstruction across counties by race. We found large regional variation in racial differences in the rate of immediate postmastectomy reconstruction. Understanding how racial disparities vary by region can identify important factors for intervention to reduce disparities in practice.

Current decisions on neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer: Experts' experiences in the Netherlands

PURPOSE

To evaluate the opinion of surgical and medical oncologists on neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for early breast cancer.

METHODS

Surgical and medical oncologists (N = 292) participating in breast cancer care in the Netherlands were invited for a 20-question survey on the influence of patient, disease, and management related factors on their decisions towards NAC.

RESULTS

A total of 138 surgical and medical oncologists from 64 out of 89 different Dutch hospitals completed the survey. NAC was recommended for locally advanced breast cancer (94%) and for downstaging to enable breast conserving surgery (BCS) (75%). Despite willingness to downstage, 64% of clinicians routinely recommended NAC when systemic therapy was indicated preoperatively. Reported reasons to refrain from NAC are comorbidities (68%), age >70 years (52%), and WHO-performance status ≥2 (93%). Opinions on NAC and surgical management were inconclusive; while 75% recommends NAC to enable BCS, some stated that BCS after NAC increases the risk of a non-radical resection (21%), surgical complications (9%) and recurrence of disease (5%).

CONCLUSION

This article emphasizes the need for more consensus among specialists on the indications for NAC in early BC patients. Unambiguous and evidence-based treatment information could improve doctor-patient communication, supporting the patient in chemotherapy timing decision-making.

A Novel Small-Animal Model of Irradiated, Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction

BACKGROUND

There is currently a need for a clinically relevant small-animal model for irradiated, implant-based breast reconstruction. Present models are inadequate in terms of suboptimal location of expander placement and mode of radiation delivery, correlating poorly with the human clinical scenario. The authors hypothesized that by delivering fractionated radiation and placing an expander under the scalp of the animal, they would achieve soft-tissue changes histologically analogous to those seen in human irradiated, implant-based breast reconstruction.

METHODS

This study consisted of 11 immunocompetent, hairless rats divided into three groups as follows: untreated control (n = 3), tissue-expanded scalps (n = 4), and fractionated irradiation plus tissue expansion of the scalp (n = 4). At the completion of the experiment for each group, skin tissue samples were analyzed histologically for vascularity, epidermal and dermal thickness, and collagen fiber alignment or scar formation.

RESULTS

Expanded rat epidermis was significantly thicker and dermis was more vascular than nonexpanded skin. The authors observed a greater degree of collagen fiber alignment in the expanded group compared with nonexpanded skin. The combination of irradiation and expansion resulted in significant dermal thinning, vascular depletion, and increased scar formation compared with expanded skin alone.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors describe a novel small-animal model for irradiated, implant-based breast reconstruction where histologic analysis shows structural changes in the skin consistent with known effects of radiation therapy and expansion in human skin. This model represents a significant improvement from previous ones and, as such, holds the potential to be used to test new therapeutic agents to improve clinical outcomes.

Oncoplastic Breast Consortium consensus conference on nipple-sparing mastectomy

Purpose

Indications for nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) have broadened to include the risk reducing setting and locally advanced tumors, which resulted in a dramatic increase in the use of NSM. The Oncoplastic Breast Consortium consensus conference on NSM and immediate reconstruction was held to address a variety of questions in clinical practice and research based on published evidence and expert panel opinion.

Methods

The panel consisted of 44 breast surgeons from 14 countries across four continents with a background in gynecology, general or reconstructive surgery and a practice dedicated to breast cancer, as well as a patient advocate. Panelists presented evidence summaries relating to each topic for debate during the in-person consensus conference. The iterative process in question development, voting, and wording of the recommendations followed the modified Delphi methodology.

Results

Consensus recommendations were reached in 35, majority recommendations in 24, and no recommendations in the remaining 12 questions. The panel acknowledged the need for standardization of various aspects of NSM and immediate reconstruction. It endorsed several oncological contraindications to the preservation of the skin and nipple. Furthermore, it recommended inclusion of patients in prospective registries and routine assessment of patient-reported outcomes. Considerable heterogeneity in breast reconstruction practice became obvious during the conference.

Conclusions

In case of conflicting or missing evidence to guide treatment, the consensus conference revealed substantial disagreement in expert panel opinion, which, among others, supports the need for a randomized trial to evaluate the safest and most efficacious reconstruction techniques.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s10549-018-4937-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Nationwide population-based study of trends and regional variation in breast-conserving treatment for breast cancer

Background

Landmark trials have shown breast-conserving surgery (BCS) combined with radiotherapy to be as safe as mastectomy in breast cancer treatment. This population-based study aimed to evaluate trends in BCS from 1989 to 2015 in nine geographical regions in the Netherlands.

Methods

All women diagnosed between 1989 and 2015 with primary T1–2 N0–1 breast cancer, treated with BCS or mastectomy, were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Crude and case mix-adjusted rates of BCS were evaluated and compared between nine Dutch regions for two time intervals: 1989–2002 and 2003–2015. The annual percentage change in BCS per region over time was assessed by means of Joinpoint regression analyses. Explanatory variables associated with the choice of initial surgery were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

A total of 202 934 patients were included, 82 200 treated in 1989–2002 and 120 734 in 2003–2015. During 1989–2002, the mean rate of BCS was 50·6 per cent, varying significantly from 39·0 to 71·7 per cent between the nine regions. For most regions, a marked rise in BCS was observed between 2002 and 2003. During 2003–2015, the mean rate of BCS increased to 67·4 per cent, but still varied significantly between regions from 58·5 to 75·5 per cent. A significant variation remained after case-mix correction.

Conclusion

This large nationwide study showed that the use of BCS increased from 1989 to 2015 in the Netherlands. After adjustment for explanatory variables, a large variation still existed between the nine regions. This regional variation underlines the need for implementation of a uniform treatment and decision-making strategy.

What does a breast feel like? A qualitative study among healthy women

Background

Restoring the body as normal as possible increases quality of life. Aesthetically, almost perfect breast reconstructions can be created. However, these reconstructed breasts have almost no sensation. Our hypothesis is that if we succeed in restoring sensation, this will increase quality of life. So far, little is written about the phenomenon of breast sensation, which makes it difficult to evaluate whether the quality of life increases after restored sensation. Therefore, the primary goal of this study is to determine what the importance and meaning is of breast sensation among healthy women.

Methods

A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological study was performed in an academic hospital between October 2016 and March 2017. A total of 10 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in healthy women who did not undergo prior breast surgery. The sample size was based upon ‘saturation’. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded and analysed according to phenomenology keeping in mind the research question ‘what is the importance and meaning of sensation of the breast?’

Results

Seven interrelated themes on how sensation of the breast is experienced were found: the absent breast (1), the present breast (2), the well-functioning breast (2a), the feminine breast (2b), the sensual breast (2c), the alien breast (2d), the safe breast (2d).

Conclusions

The seven interrelated themes can form the basis to develop a quantitative research tool to evaluate quality of life after innervated breast reconstruction and can be implemented in counselling before breast reconstructive surgery in the form of shared treatment decisions.

Breast-specific factors determine cosmetic outcome and patient satisfaction after breast-conserving therapy: Results from the randomized COBALT study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To identify breast-specific factors and the role of tumor, treatment, and patient-related items in influencing patient opinion on cosmesis and satisfaction after breast-conserving therapy (BCT).

METHODS

Data from the randomized COBALT study was used. At 3, 12, and 36 months, 128 patients with T1-T2 breast cancer completed a questionnaire on breast-specific factors and overall cosmetic outcome and patient satisfaction, using a 4-point Likert scale.

RESULTS

There was a strong positive correlation between breast-specific factors, overall cosmetic outcome,and satisfaction at all time-points. Excellent/good cosmetic outcomes and satisfaction decreased during follow-up. A shift was noted in the degree of influence of the various breast-specific factors. At 3 years, symmetry factors such as size, shape, and nipple position largely determined a patient's opinion on the final cosmesis, followed by firmness. The risk of an unacceptable outcome was associated with young age and large excision volumes.

CONCLUSION

A questionnaire including breast-specific questions provides important information on final cosmetic results and satisfaction after BCT. These outcomes can also be of great value as quality indicators and pre-operative counseling. The major influence of breast-specific factors on asymmetry underlines the importance of achieving an optimal excision volume at the initial procedure.

Determinants of satisfaction with cosmetic outcome in breast cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study

Little research has been done into cosmetic outcomes in non-Western breast cancer populations. We aimed to study the prevalence and determinants of dissatisfaction with cosmetic outcome after breast cancer surgery of Asian breast cancer survivors, and its association with patient-reported anxiety, depression, and quality of life. In a hospital-based cross-sectional study, 384 breast cancer survivors of at least 12 months after diagnosis completed questionnaires on satisfaction with cosmetic appearance, quality of life (EORTC-QLQ-C30) and anxiety and depression (HADS). Cumulative logit models were used to examine the adjusted association between dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance and demographic and clinical characteristics. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test for associations between dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance and patient-reported outcomes. Overall, 20% of women reported to be (very) dissatisfied with cosmetic appearance. Survivors of Chinese ethnicity were more likely dissatisfied with cosmetic appearance compared to Malay survivors (22% and 14% respectively, adjusted OR = 2.4, 95%CI: 1.4-3.9). Women with DCIS (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95%CI: 1.3-3.7) or advanced stage disease (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95%CI: 1.2-3.9) had a higher risk of being dissatisfied with their cosmetic appearance. Women treated with mastectomy were at a higher risk of dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance (adjusted OR = 1.7, 95%CI: 1.1-2.5). Dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance was associated with increased depression scores. In this South-East Asian population, one in five breast cancer patients were (very) dissatisfied with the cosmetic outcome of treatment. Chinese women, women with larger tumors and women treated with mastectomy were most likely to report dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance.

Development and psychometric validation of a shorter version of the Breast Cancer Treatment Outcome Scale (BCTOS-12)

OBJECTIVES

Aesthetic and functional outcomes after oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery (BCS) are directly related to the patients' quality of life (QoL). The Breast Cancer Treatment Outcome Scale (BCTOS) is a validated but burdensome questionnaire for the assessment of these outcomes. The aim of the study was to strengthen and focus the BCTOS instrument by reducing the number of items and subscales without loss of information and validity.

METHODS

This study used a dataset of 871 patients with stage 0 - III breast cancer, from a prospective cohort study, who underwent BCS. We investigated correlations and other criteria of homogeneity of the BCTOS items to identify redundancies. An exploratory factor analysis was used to remodel the item-factor structure. Correlation and linear regression analysis with validated QoL subscales assessed the convergent and discriminant validity of the modified BCTOS structure.

RESULTS

The factor analysis revealed two distinct subscales for aesthetic and functional outcomes. It was possible to reduce the 22 items of the original BCTOS to 12 items, thus the "BCTOS-12". The two new scales had very good internal consistency: Cronbach's α = 0.86 for the new Aesthetic Status subscale and α = 0.81 for the new Functional Status subscale. Bootstrapping confirmed the item-factor structure for all 10,000 samples, remarkably.

CONCLUSION

The modified BCTOS questionnaire with only 12 items (BCTOS-12) is shorter, easier to interpret, and shows good validity.

Satisfaction With Testicular Prosthesis After Radical Orchiectomy

OBJECTIVES

To determine patient satisfaction with testicular prostheses (TP) for testicular cancer. Reconstruction represents an important part of surgical oncology, yet placement of TP following orchiectomy is infrequently performed. Improved data on patient satisfaction with TP would help in counseling patients with testicular cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty patients who underwent orchiectomy and TP placement for testicular cancer participated in a survey that was blinded to the providers in an outpatient clinic (2012-2014) to evaluate TP satisfaction. Categorical variables associated with satisfaction were compared using the Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

Median age at TP placement was 31 years (17-59). Most patients had their prosthesis in place for >1 year (81%) at the time of the survey. No patient reported complications from the TP and none underwent explantation. All patients felt that being offered an implant before orchiectomy was important. Overall, 33 patients (82.5%) rated the TP as good or excellent, and 35 men (87.5%) would have the prosthesis implanted again. Thirty-seven patients (92.5%) found the TP to be comfortable or very comfortable. However, 44% considered the TP too firm and 20% felt the position was not appropriate. Appropriate size, appropriate position, and TP comfort were significantly associated with good or excellent overall TP satisfaction (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Overall satisfaction with testicular implants after orchiectomy for testicular cancer is high. Patients should be offered a testicular prosthesis, especially at the time of orchiectomy. Efforts should be made to optimize implant firmness, and care should be given to proper size selection and positioning.

Long-term Patient-Reported Outcomes in Older Breast Cancer Survivors: A Population-Based Survey Study

PURPOSE

For older women with breast cancer, local therapy options may include lumpectomy plus whole-breast irradiation (Lump + WBI), lumpectomy plus brachytherapy (Lump + Brachy), lumpectomy alone (Lump alone), mastectomy without radiation therapy (Mast alone), and mastectomy plus radiation therapy (Mast + RT). We surveyed a population-based cohort of older breast cancer survivors to assess the association of local therapy with long-term quality-of-life outcomes.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We used nationally comprehensive Medicare claims to identify women aged ≥67 years in whom nonmetastatic breast cancer was diagnosed in 2009, who were treated with 1 of the 5 aforementioned treatment options, and who were still alive in 2015. From this cohort, 1650 patients (330 patients per treatment) were randomly selected. A survey that included the CanSORT (Cancer Surveillance and Outcomes Research Team) Satisfaction with Breast Cosmetic Outcome, BREAST-Q, Decisional Regret Scale, and EQ-5D-3L was mailed to potential participants. We used multivariable linear regression to assess associations between local therapy and outcomes after adjusting for patient, disease, and treatment covariates.

RESULTS

Among the 489 women who returned the surveys (30% response rate), the median age at diagnosis was 72 years (range, 67-87 years). The interval from diagnosis to survey completion was approximately 6 years for all patients. Compared with Lump + WBI (adjusted score, 3.40), the CanSORT cosmetic satisfaction scores were higher for Lump + Brachy (score, 3.77; P = .007) and Lump alone (score, 3.80; P = .04) and lower for Mast + RT (score, 3.01; P = .006). Similar trends were seen for BREAST-Q cosmetic satisfaction. BREAST-Q psychosocial, sexual, and physical well-being and EQ-5D-3L global health status tended to be better in patients treated with less irradiation and less surgery. BREAST-Q adverse radiation effects were worse for Lump + WBI compared with Lump + Brachy. Decisional regret regarding surgery and radiation therapy did not differ across groups. Compared with patients treated with Lump + WBI, patients treated with Lump + Brachy and Lump alone reported slightly higher rates of in-breast recurrence (excess risk of 5.8% and 6.4%, respectively; P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS

In this nationally diverse cohort, less irradiation and less surgery were associated with better long-term quality-of-life outcomes. However, patient regret regarding surgery and radiation therapy was similar across all groups.

Breast-conserving surgery following neoadjuvant therapy-a systematic review on surgical outcomes

Purpose

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is increasingly used in breast cancer treatment. One of the main goals of NACT is to reduce the extent of local surgery of the breast and axilla. The aim of this study was to determine surgical outcomes for patients receiving breast-conserving therapy (BCT) after NACT, including margin status plus secondary surgeries, excision volumes, and cosmetic outcomes.

Methods

A systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA principles. Pubmed, MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies investigating the results of BCT following NACT. The main study outcomes were margin status, additional local therapies, excision volumes, and cosmetic outcomes. Non-comparative studies on NACT were also included. Exclusion criteria were studies with less than 25 patients, and studies excluding secondary mastectomy patients.

Findings

Of the 1219 studies screened, 26 studies were deemed eligible for analysis, including data from 5379 patients treated with NACT and 10,110 patients treated without NACT. Included studies showed wide ranges of tumor-involved margins (2–39.8%), secondary surgeries (0–45.4%), and excision volumes (43.2–268 cm³) or specimen weight (26.4–233 g) after NACT. Most studies were retrospective, with a high heterogeneity and a high risk of bias. Cosmetic outcomes after NACT were reported in two single-center cohort studies. Both studies showed acceptable cosmetic outcomes.

Interpretation

There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that NACT improves surgical outcomes of BCT. It is imperative that clinical trials include patient outcome measures in order to allow monitoring and meaningful comparison of treatment outcomes in breast cancer.

A systematic review of women's satisfaction and regret following risk-reducing mastectomy

OBJECTIVE

A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies, to describe patient satisfaction and regret associated with risk-reducing mastectomies (RRM), and the patient-reported factors associated with these among women at high risk of developing breast cancer.

METHODS

Studies were identified using Medline, CINAHL, Embase and PsycInfo databases (1995-2016). Data were extracted and crosschecked for accuracy. Article quality was assessed using standardised criteria.

RESULTS

Of the 1657 unique articles identified, 30 studies met the inclusion criteria (n=23 quantitative studies, n=3 qualitative studies, n=4 mixed-method studies). Studies included were cross-sectional (n=23) or retrospective (n=7). General satisfaction with RRM, decision satisfaction and aesthetic satisfaction were generally high, although some women expressed regret around their decision and dissatisfaction with their appearance. Factors associated with both patient satisfaction and regret included: post-operative complications, body image changes, psychological distress and perceived inadequacy of information.

CONCLUSION

While satisfaction with RRM was generally high, some women had regrets and expressed dissatisfaction. Future research is needed to further explore RRM, and to investigate current satisfaction trends given the ongoing improvements to surgical and clinical practice.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Offering pre-operative preparation, decisional support and continuous psychological input may help to facilitate satisfaction with this complex procedure.

A Nationwide Analysis of Cost Variation for Autologous Free Flap Breast Reconstruction

Importance

Cost variation among hospitals has been demonstrated for surgical procedures. Uncovering these differences has helped guide measures taken to reduce health care spending. To date, the fiscal consequence of hospital variation for autologous free flap breast reconstruction is unknown.

Objective

To investigate factors that influence cost variation for autologous free flap breast reconstruction.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A secondary cross-sectional analysis was performed using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample database from 2008 to 2010. The dates of analysis were September 2016 to February 2017. The setting was a stratified sample of all US community hospitals. Participants were female patients who were diagnosed as having breast cancer or were at high risk for breast cancer and underwent autologous free flap breast reconstruction.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Variables of interest included demographic data, hospital characteristics, length of stay, complications (surgical and systemic), and inpatient cost. The study used univariate and generalized linear mixed models to examine associations between patient and hospital characteristics and cost.

Results

A total of 3302 patients were included in the study, with a median age of 50 years (interquartile range, 44-57 years). The mean cost for autologous free flap breast reconstruction was $22 677 (interquartile range, $14 907-$33 391). Flap reconstructions performed at high-volume hospitals were significantly more costly than those performed at low-volume hospitals ($24 360 vs $18 918, P < .001). Logistic regression demonstrated that hospital volume correlated with increased cost (Exp[β], 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11; P = .003). Fewer surgical complications (16.4% [169 of 1029] vs 23.7% [278 of 1174], P < .001) and systemic complications (24.2% [249 of 1029] vs 31.2% [366 of 1174], P < .001) were experienced in high-volume hospitals compared with low-volume hospitals. Flap procedures performed in the West were the most expensive ($28 289), with a greater odds of increased expenditure (Exp[β], 1.53; 95% CI, 1.46-1.61; P < .001) compared with the Northeast. A significant difference in length of stay was found between the West and Northeast (odds ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.17-1.33).

Conclusions and Relevance

There is significant cost variation among patients undergoing autologous free flap breast reconstruction. Experience, as measured by a hospital's volume, provides quality health care with fewer complications but is more costly. Longer length of stay contributed to regional cost variation and may be a target for decreasing expenditure, without compromising care. In the era of bundled health care payment, strategies should be implemented to eliminate cost variation to condense spending while still providing quality care.

A preliminary prediction model for potentially guiding patient choices between breast conserving surgery and mastectomy in early breast cancer patients; a Dutch experience

Purpose

To guide early stage breast cancer patients to choose between breast conserving surgery (BCS) and mastectomy (MST) considering the predicted cosmetic result and quality of life (QoL).

Methods

A decision model was built to compare QoL after BCS and MST. Treatment could result in BCS with good cosmesis, BCS with poor cosmesis, MST only, and MST with breast reconstruction. QoL for these treatment outcomes were obtained from a previous study and the literature and translated into EuroQoL-5D derived utilities. Chance of good cosmesis after BCS was predicted based on tumor location and tumor/breast volume ratio. The decision model determined whether the expected QoL was superior after BCS or MST based on chance of good cosmesis.

Results

The mean utility for the treatments such as BCS with good cosmesis, BCS with poor cosmesis, MST only, and MST with breast reconstruction were 0.908, 0.843, 0.859, and 0.876, respectively. BCS resulted in superior QoL compared to MST in patients with a chance of good cosmesis above 36%. This 36% threshold is reached in case the tumor is located in the upper lateral, lower lateral, upper medial, lower medial, and central quadrant of the breast with a tumor/breast volume ratio below 21.6, 4.1, 15.1, 3.2, and 14.7, respectively.

Conclusions

BCS results in superior QoL in patients with tumors in the upper breast quadrants or centrally and a tumor/breast volume ratio below 15. MST results in superior QoL in patients with tumors in the lower breast quadrants and a tumor/breast volume ratio above 4.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s11136-017-1740-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Stakeholders' Perspectives on Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction: Recognizing Ways to Improve Shared Decision Making

Background

Postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) is an elective, preference-sensitive decision made during a stressful, time-pressured period after a cancer diagnosis. Shared decision making (SDM) can improve decision quality about preference-sensitive choices. Stakeholders' perspectives on ways to support PMBR decision-making were explored.

Methods

Forty semi-structured interviews with stakeholders (20 postmastectomy patients, 10 PMBR surgeons, 10 PMBR nurses) were conducted. Clinicians were recruited from diverse practices across the United States. Patients were recruited using purposive sampling with varying PMBR experiences, including no reconstruction. The interview guide was based on an implementation research framework. Themes were identified using grounded theory approach, based on frequency and emotive force conveyed.

Results

Engagement in SDM was variable. Some patients wanted more information about PMBR from clinicians, particularly about risks. Some clinicians acknowledged highlighting benefits and downplaying risks. Many patients felt pressured to make a choice by their clinicians. Clinicians who successfully engaged patients through decisions often used outside resources to supplement conversations.

Conclusions

Patient-clinician trust was critical to high-quality decisions, and many patients expressed decision regret when they were not engaged in PMBR discussions. Patients often perceived a race- or age-related bias in clinician information sharing. Interventions to support SDM may enhance decision quality and reduce decision regret about PMBR, ultimately improving patient-centered care for women with breast cancer.

Comparison of Wound Complications After Immediate, Delayed, and Secondary Breast Reconstruction Procedures

Importance

Few data are available concerning surgical site infection (SSI) and noninfectious wound complications (NIWCs) after delayed (DR) and secondary reconstruction (SR) compared with immediate reconstruction (IR) procedures in the breast.

Objective

To compare the incidence of SSI and NIWCs after implant and autologous IR, DR, and SR breast procedures after mastectomy.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study included women aged 18 to 64 years undergoing mastectomy from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2011. Data were abstracted from a commercial insurer claims database in 12 states and analyzed from January 1, 2015, through February 7, 2017.

Exposures

Reconstruction within 7 days of mastectomy was considered immediate. Reconstruction more than 7 days after mastectomy was considered delayed if the mastectomy did not include IR or secondary if the mastectomy included IR.

Main Outcomes and Measures

International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes for SSI and NIWCs.

Results

Mastectomy was performed in 17 293 women (mean [SD] age, 50.4 [8.5] years); 61.4% of women had IR or DR. Among patients undergoing implant reconstruction, the incidence of SSI was 8.9% (685 of 7655 women) for IR, 5.7% (21 of 369) for DR, and 3.2% (167 of 5150) for SR. Similar results were found for NIWCs. In contrast, the incidence of SSI was similar after autologous IR (9.8% [177 of 1799]), DR (13.9% [19 of 137]), and SR (11.6% [11 of 95]) procedures. Compared with women without an SSI after implant IR, women with an SSI after implant IR were significantly more likely to have another SSI (47 of 412 [11.4%] vs 131 of 4791 [2.7%]) and an NIWC (24 of 412 [5.8%] vs 120 of 4791 [2.5%]) after SR. The incidence of SSI (24 of 379 [6.3%] vs 152 of 5286 [2.9%]) and NIWC (22 of 379 [5.8%] vs 129 of 5286 [2.4%]) after implant SR was higher in women who had received adjuvant radiotherapy. Wound complications after IR were associated with significantly more breast surgical procedures (mean of 1.92 procedures [range, 0-9] after implant IR and 1.11 [range, 0-6] after autologous IR) compared with women who did not have a complication (mean of 1.37 procedures [range, 0-8] after implant IR and 0.87 [range, 0-6] after autologous IR).

Conclusions and Relevance

The incidence of SSI and NIWCs was slightly higher for implant IR compared with delayed or secondary implant reconstruction. Women who had an SSI or NIWC after implant IR had a higher risk for subsequent complications after SR and more breast operations. The risk for complications should be carefully balanced with the psychosocial and technical benefits of IR. Select high-risk patients may benefit from consideration of delayed rather than immediate implant reconstruction to decrease breast complications after mastectomy.

Influence of breast cancer opportunistic screening on aesthetic surgical outcome: A single-center retrospective study in Switzerland

The aim of this retrospective study is to compare the surgical aesthetic outcome and breast cancer (BC) characteristics in patients with BC detected either by opportunistic screening or clinical diagnosis. 262 women undergoing surgery for BC between 2009 and 2012 were included. The following features were compared in the two groups of patients: (1) age at diagnosis; (2) family history of BC; (3) histology type; (4) tumor diameter; (5) local staging, and (6) type of surgical treatment. In 92/262 (35.1%) cases BC was detected by screening and 170/262 (64.9%) had clinical diagnosis. A positive family history and ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosis were more frequent in patients with clinical diagnosis (P = .001 and P < .0001 respectively). Mean maximum diameter of invasive cancers was significantly greater in symptomatic patients (P < .001). Breast conserving surgery was performed in 76/92 (82.6%) patients with screening and 115/170 (67.6%) with clinical diagnosis. Mastectomy was performed in 16/92 (17.4%) patients with screening and 55/170 (32.3%) with clinical diagnosis. Mastectomy was more frequent in patients with clinical diagnosis of BC (P = .010). No significant group differences were found regarding the other features. This study demonstrated that in opportunistic screening, breast conserving surgery may be applied in a higher number of cases compared to patients presenting with clinical diagnosis, thereby improving life quality of these patients.

Paravertebral Blocks Reduce Narcotic Use Without Affecting Perfusion in Patients Undergoing Autologous Breast Reconstruction

BACKGROUND

Autologous breast reconstruction offers excellent long term outcomes after mastectomy. However, maintaining adequate postoperative analgesia remains challenging. Use of paravertebral blocks (PVBs) reduces postoperative narcotic use and length of stay, and enhanced recovery protocols with mixed analgesia methods are gaining popularity, but few studies have explored the intraoperative effects of these interventions.

METHODS

Patients who underwent abdominally based autologous breast reconstruction between 2010 and 2016 were compiled into a retrospective database. We used electronic medical records to determine demographics, as well as perioperative and intraoperative vital signs and narcotic, anxiolytic, crystalloid, colloid, blood product, and vasopressor requirements, and postoperative complications. Results were compared between patients who had a PVB and those who did not and those who had a PVB alone and those who followed our enhanced recovery protocol using standard statistical methods and adjusting for preoperative values.

RESULTS

A total of 170 patients were included in the study. Sixty-six had a PVB, and 104 did not. Of the 66 who had a PVB, 19 followed our enhanced recovery protocol. Patients who did not have a PVB required 171.6 mg of total narcotic medication in the perioperative period, those with a PVB alone required 146.9 mg, and those who followed the ERAS protocol 95.2 mg (p = 0.01). There was no difference in intraoperative mean arterial pressure, time with mean arterial pressure <80% of baseline, vasopressor use, or fluid requirement. There was no difference in complication rate.

CONCLUSIONS

PVBs and an enhanced recovery protocol reduce the use of narcotic medications in autologous breast reconstruction without impacting intraoperative hemodynamics. Breast reconstruction after mastectomy restores body image and improves health-related quality of life, satisfaction with appearance and physical, psychosocial, and sexual well-being (Donovan et al. in J Clin Oncol 7(7):959-968, 1989; Eltahir et al. in Plast Reconstr Surg 132(2):201e-209e, 2013; Jagsi et al. in Ann Surg 261(6):1198-1206, 2015). For patients pursuing breast reconstruction, there are two major options: prosthetic (tissue expander/implant) or autologous reconstruction. However, while providing exceptional long-term outcomes, postoperative pain and length of hospital stay remains a major challenge preventing more widespread adoption of autologous breast reconstruction (Albornoz et al. in Plast Reconstr Surg 131(1):15-23, 2013; Gurunluoglu et al. in Ann Plast Surg 70(1):103-110, 2013; Kulkarni et al. in Plast Reconstr Surg 132(3):534-541, 2013; Sbitany et al. in Plast Reconstr Surg 124(6):1781-1789, 2009). Acute postoperative pain contributes to prolonged hospital stays, increased narcotic use, and associated risks of the aforementioned.