The Effects of Radiotherapy on the Sequence and Eligibility of Breast Reconstruction: Current Evidence and Controversy

Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) following a mastectomy, combined with radiotherapy, presents a multifaceted approach to breast cancer treatment, balancing oncological safety and aesthetic outcomes. IBR, typically involving the use of implants or autologous tissue, aims to restore breast morphology directly after a mastectomy, minimizing the psychological and physical impacts. However, integrating radiotherapy with IBR is complex due to the potential adverse effects on reconstructed tissues. Radiotherapy, essential for reducing local recurrence, can induce fibrosis, capsular contracture, and compromised aesthetic results. This narrative review covers the current trends in the sequencing of breast reconstruction and radiotherapy. We discuss patient selection, timing of radiotherapy, and reconstructive techniques, with special attention paid to quality-of-life outcomes that are increasingly reported in clinical trials. Emerging evidence supports the feasibility of IBR with careful patient selection and tailored therapeutic approaches, although ongoing research is necessary to refine protocols and enhance outcomes. Overall, IBR in the context of radiotherapy remains a promising but intricate treatment modality, requiring a nuanced balance between cancer control and aesthetic restoration.

Debate: Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy in T1/2N1 Disease

Although postmastectomy radiation therapy is known to reduce local recurrence in patients with T1/2N1 breast cancer, some have postulated that not all patients require this treatment. In this era of genomic analyses and personalized therapy, clinicians have debated whether the toxicity of post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) can be avoided for some subsets of patients. However, the data in this regard remain controversial, particularly as surgeons de-escalate the surgical management of the axilla. Several ongoing clinical trials may provide a glimpse into optimal management in this scenario. However, the "right" answer to this debate currently remains unclear.

The Effect of Postmastectomy Radiotherapy on Breast Cancer Patients After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy by Molecular Subtype

BACKGROUND

The effect of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) on patient outcomes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) remains controversial. We aimed to establish a model to identify the subsets benefiting from PMRT and to examine the effect of PMRT according to molecular subtype.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 1118 cT1-4cN0-3M0 breast cancer patients treated with NAC and mastectomy. A nomogram predicting locoregional recurrence (LRR) was established based on 418 unirradiated patients, and X-tile analysis was performed to divide the patients into two risk groups. The effect of PMRT on LRR, distant recurrence (DR), and breast cancer mortality (BCM) was estimated for patients with different molecular subtypes in two risk groups.

RESULTS

A nomogram predicting LRR was developed using six factors: histologic classification, lymphovascular invasion, ypT stage, ypN stage, estrogen receptor status, and Ki-67 expression. Our study found that PMRT correlated with lower 5-year LRR, DR, and BCM rates for the high-risk group; however, no significant improvement in these endpoints was observed in the low-risk group. Among patients with high risk, subgroup analysis showed that LRR control was improved after PMRT for the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative/hormone receptor (HR)-positive (HER2-/HR+), HER2-positive (HER2+)/HR+, and HER2-/HR-negative (HR-) subtypes, with hazard ratios of 0.113 (95% confidence [CI] 0.034-0.379; p < 0.001), 0.159 (95% CI 0.038-0.671; p = 0.017), and 0.243 (95% CI 0.088-0.676; p = 0.007), respectively, but not for the HER2+/HR- subtype (p = 0.468).

CONCLUSIONS

We built a nomogram showing favorable risk quantification and patient stratification. Patients in the high-risk group benefited from PMRT, but patients in the low-risk group did not. PMRT may show different benefits for each molecular subtype.

Oncological Outcomes of Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: A Single-Center Experience of 1989 Patients

BACKGROUND

Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is increasingly used in women with breast cancer who are not eligible for conservative surgery, but extensive outcome data are lacking and indications have not been established.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the oncological outcomes of NSM in a large series of patients with invasive or in situ breast cancer treated at a single center.

METHODS

We analyzed 1989 consecutive women who had an NSM in 2003-2011, for invasive (1711 patients) or in situ cancer (278 patients) at the European Institute of Oncology, Italy, and followed-up to December 2016. Endpoints were local recurrences, recurrences in the nipple-areola complex (NAC), NAC necrosis, and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 94 months (interquartile range 70-117), 91/1711 (5.3%) patients with invasive cancer had local recurrence (4.8% invasive disease, 0.5% in situ disease), and 11/278 (4.0%) patients with in situ disease had local recurrence (1.8% invasive disease, 2.2% in situ disease). Thirty-six (1.8%) patients had NAC recurrence, 9 with in situ disease (4 invasive and 5 in situ recurrences), and 27 with invasive disease (18 invasive and 9 in situ recurrences). NAC loss for necrosis occurred in 66 (3.3%) patients. There were 131 (6.6%) deaths, 109 (5.5%) as a result of breast cancer. OS at 5 years was 96.1% in women with invasive cancer and 99.2% in women with in situ disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings in this large series, with a median follow-up of nearly 8 years, indicate that NSM is oncologically safe for selected patients. The rate of NAC loss was acceptably low.