Radical tumor excision and cosmetic balance in the surgical treatment of breast carcinoma: biquadrantectomy

Cosmetic assessment of breast-conserving surgery for primary breast cancer

The goals of breast-conserving treatment are to achieve local control and survival rates equivalent to mastectomy and to preserve breast cosmetic appearance. This paper specifically addresses the different ways of cosmetic assessment by the observer (subjective and objective assessments) and by the patient (self-assessment), and the factors which influence the cosmetic outcome, based on a review of the current literature.