Evidence-based indications for postmastectomy irradiation

Complications of Immediate versus Delayed DIEP Reconstruction: A Meta-Analysis of Comparative Studies

Simple Summary

Although the deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (DIEP) has become the most frequent autologous flap in breast reconstruction, it remains unclear whether reconstruction should be performed at the same time as the mastectomy or delayed. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to offer an overview of recipient site postoperative complications and help guide practicians toward the ideal timing for breast reconstruction. A pooled analysis using the Mantel and Haenszel methods with a fixed effect model provided results as an odd ratio with a 95% confidence interval. Among most complications including hematoma, infection, fat necrosis, and flap loss, no significant differences were observed. However, delayed wound healing was significantly higher for patients who underwent delayed breast reconstruction. This paper offers evidence that both surgical timings offer similar outcomes and are, therefore, valid surgical strategies.

Abstract

Purpose: The setting regarding the ideal timing for deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (DIEP) reconstruction remains unclear. Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) is performed at the same time as mastectomy, while delayed breast reconstruction (DBR) is performed at any time after mastectomy except immediately. We compared both strategies to assess whether IBR or DBR should be performed to reduce postoperative adverse events. Methods: A systematic review of PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane, and Web of Science was conducted, aiming at articles comparing the recipient site outcomes of IBR versus DBR with DIEP. We used the Mantel–Haenszel method with a fixed effects model. Results were expressed as the OR with a 95% CI. Results: Two retrospective and two prospective studies were identified involving 5784 DIEPs (1744 immediate and 4040 delayed). We showed a significant difference in favor of IBR for wound healing issues (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.41, 0.77; p = 0.0003). However, no significant differences for hematoma, infection, fat necrosis, partial flap loss, and total flap loss rate were seen. Conclusions: Despite variability in the choice of the ideal time for breast reconstruction and outcomes reported among studies, immediate DIEP surgery appears to be a reliable setting with less delayed healing issues.

Comparison of Immediate versus Delayed DIEP Flap Reconstruction in Women Who Require Postmastectomy Radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

The authors investigated aesthetic outcome and patient satisfaction in women who have undergone deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction in the setting of postmastectomy radiotherapy. Patients who underwent DIEP flap reconstruction without postmastectomy radiotherapy were the control group.

METHODS

Participants who had undergone DIEP flap reconstruction between September 1, 2009, and September 1, 2014, were recruited, answered the BREAST-Q, and underwent three-dimensional surface-imaging. A panel assessed the aesthetic outcome by reviewing these images.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-seven women participated. Eighty women (48 percent) underwent immediate DIEP flap reconstruction and no postmastectomy radiotherapy; 28 (17 percent) underwent immediate DIEP flap reconstruction with postmastectomy radiotherapy; 38 (23 percent) underwent simple mastectomy, postmastectomy radiotherapy, and DIEP flap reconstruction; and 21 (13 percent) underwent mastectomy with temporizing implant, postmastectomy radiotherapy, and DIEP flap reconstruction. Median satisfaction scores were significantly different among the groups (p < 0.05). Post hoc comparison demonstrated that women who had an immediate DIEP flap reconstruction were significantly less satisfied if they had postmastectomy radiotherapy. In women requiring radiotherapy, those undergoing delayed reconstruction after a simple mastectomy were most satisfied, but there was no significant difference between the immediate DIEP flap and temporizing implant groups. Median panel scores differed among groups, being significantly higher if the immediate reconstruction was not subjected to radiotherapy. There was no significant difference in panel assessment among the three groups of women who had received radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who avoid having their immediate DIEP flap reconstruction irradiated are more satisfied and have better aesthetic outcome than those who undergo postmastectomy radiotherapy. In women requiring radiotherapy and who wish to have an immediate or "delayed-immediate" reconstruction, there were no significant differences in panel or patient satisfaction. Therefore, immediate DIEP flap reconstruction or mastectomy with temporizing implant then DIEP flap surgery are acceptable treatment pathways in the context of post-mastectomy radiotherapy.

Medical factors influencing decision making regarding radiation therapy for breast cancer

Radiation therapy is an important and effective adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. Numerous health conditions may affect medical decisions regarding tolerance of breast radiation therapy. These factors must be considered during the decision-making process after breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy for breast cancer. Here, we review currently available evidence focusing on medical conditions that may affect the patient-provider decision-making process regarding the use of radiation therapy.

Imaging of breast cancer-related changes after nonsurgical therapy

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to review both expected and unexpected thoracic CT manifestations of nonsurgical breast cancer treatment with multimodality imaging correlation. Specific topics include the spectrum of posttherapy changes attributed to chemotherapy and radiation therapy and the spread of breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

Thoracic CT is an important tool commonly used for breast cancer staging and surveillance and for diagnostic indications such as shortness of breath and chest pain. Imaging findings can be related to progression of disease or to associated conditions, such as pulmonary embolism. The hallmarks of breast cancer spread in the thorax include pulmonary nodules, enlarged lymph nodes, pleural effusions, thickening or nodularity, and sclerotic or lytic skeletal lesions. Less common findings including pulmonary lymphangitic tumor spread and pericardial metastasis. The findings also may represent the sequelae of surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy for breast cancer. Knowledge of various treatment methods and their expected and unexpected CT findings is important for recognizing treatment-related abnormalities to avoid confusion with breast cancer spread and thereby minimize the risk that unnecessary further diagnostic imaging will be performed.

Risk of lymphedema after mastectomy: potential benefit of applying ACOSOG Z0011 protocol to mastectomy patients

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and radiation therapy (RT) are commonly recommended for mastectomy patients with positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Effective alternatives to ALND that reduce lymphedema risk are needed. We evaluated rates of lymphedema in mastectomy patients who received SLNB with RT, compared to ALND with or without RT. 627 breast cancer patients who underwent 664 mastectomies between 2005 and 2013 were prospectively screened for lymphedema, median 22.8 months follow-up (range 3.0-86.9). Each mastectomy was categorized as SLNB-no RT, SLNB + RT, ALND-no RT, or ALND + RT. RT included chest wall ± nodal radiation. Perometer arm volume measurements were obtained pre- and post-operatively. Lymphedema was defined as ≥10 % arm volume increase. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to determine lymphedema rates and risk factors. Of 664 mastectomies, 52 % (343/664) were SLNB-no RT, 5 % (34/664) SLNB + RT, 9 % (58/664) ALND-no RT, and 34 % (229/664) ALND + RT. The 2 year cumulative lymphedema incidence was 10.0 % (95 % CI 2.6-34.4 %) for SLNB + RT compared with 19.3 % (95 % CI 10.8-33.1 %) for ALND-no RT, and 30.1 % (95 % CI 23.7-37.8 %) for ALND + RT. The lowest cumulative incidence was 2.19 % (95 % CI 0.88-5.40 %) for SLNB-no RT. By multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with increased lymphedema risk included RT (p = 0.0017), ALND (p = 0.0001), greater number of lymph nodes removed (p = 0.0006), no reconstruction (p = 0.0418), higher BMI (p < 0.0001) and older age (p = 0.0021). In conclusion, avoiding completion ALND and instead receiving SLNB with RT may decrease lymphedema risk in patients requiring mastectomy. Future trials should investigate the safety of applying the ACOSOG Z0011 protocol to mastectomy patients.

Is immediate autologous breast reconstruction with postoperative radiotherapy good practice?: a systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND

There remains controversy as to whether immediate autologous breast reconstruction with postoperative radiotherapy is associated with acceptable complications and aesthetic outcomes. This systematic review analyses the literature regarding outcomes of immediate autologous breast reconstruction with postoperative radiotherapy compared with no radiotherapy, as well as with delayed autologous breast reconstruction following post-mastectomy irradiation.

METHODS

Pubmed (1966 to October 2012), Ovid MEDLINE (1966 to October 2012), EMBASE (1980 to October 2012), and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Issue 10, 2012) were searched. Overall complications (including fat necrosis), fat necrosis, revisional surgery, loss of volume, and aesthetic outcome, were analysed individually. Comparable data from observational studies were combined for meta-analysis where possible and quality assessment of the studies was performed.

RESULTS

The majority of studies of immediate autologous breast reconstruction and postoperative radiotherapy reported satisfactory outcomes (19 of 25 studies; n=1,247 patients). Meta-analysis of observational studies demonstrated no significant differences in total prevalence of complications (p=0.59) or revisional surgery (p=0.38) and a summary measure for fat necrosis favouring the group without radiotherapy (OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.35-5.92, p=0.006). The majority of studies comparing immediate reconstruction and postoperative radiotherapy with delayed reconstruction following post-mastectomy radiotherapy (10 of 12 observational studies; n=1,633 patients) reported satisfactory outcomes following immediate reconstruction. Meta-analysis of observational studies demonstrated no significant difference in overall incidence of complications (p=0.53) and fat necrosis (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.29-1.38, p=0.25), and a summary measure for revisional surgery (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.05-0.48, p=0.001) favouring the delayed surgery group. No randomised-controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, and all of the observational studies included were missing more than one important component for reporting of observational studies.

DISCUSSION

The majority of studies reported satisfactory outcomes and a similar incidence of complications for immediate autologous breast reconstruction and adjuvant radiotherapy when compared with no radiotherapy or delayed reconstruction following radiotherapy; the proportion that required revisional surgery was higher though for immediate than delayed breast reconstruction. The findings are limited by the paucity of high quality data in the published literature, and until better data is available the findings of this review suggest that immediate autologous breast reconstruction should at least be considered when adjuvant chest wall radiotherapy is anticipated.

Validating a prognostic scoring system for postmastectomy locoregional recurrence in breast cancer

PURPOSE

This study is designed to validate a previously developed locoregional recurrence risk (LRR) scoring system and further define which groups of patients with breast cancer would benefit from postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

An LRR risk scoring system was developed previously at our institution using breast cancer patients initially treated with modified radical mastectomy between 1990 and 2001. The LRR score comprised 4 factors: patient age, lymphovascular invasion, estrogen receptor negativity, and number of involved lymph nodes. We sought to validate the original study by examining a new dataset of 1545 patients treated between 2002 and 2007.

RESULTS

The 1545 patients were scored according to the previously developed criteria: 920 (59.6%) were low risk (score 0-1), 493 (31.9%) intermediate risk (score 2-3), and 132 (8.5%) were high risk (score ≥4). The 5-year locoregional control rates with and without PMRT in low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 98% versus 97% (P=.41), 97% versus 91% (P=.0005), and 89% versus 50% (P=.0002) respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis of an additional 1545 patients treated between 2002 and 2007 validates our previously reported LRR scoring system and suggests appropriate patients for whom PMRT will be beneficial. Independent validation of this scoring system by other institutions is recommended.

Oncologic safety of skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomy: a discussion and review of the literature

Breast conservation therapy has been the cornerstone of the surgical treatment of breast cancer for the last 20 years; however, recently, the use of mastectomy has been increasing. Mastectomy is one of the most frequently performed breast operations, and with novel surgical techniques, preservation of the skin envelope and/or the nipple-areolar complex is commonly performed. The goal of this paper is to review the literature on skin-sparing mastectomy and nipple-sparing mastectomy and to evaluate the oncologic safety of these techniques. In addition, this paper will discuss the oncologic importance of margin status and type of mastectomy as it pertains to risk of local recurrence and relative need for adjuvant therapy.

Oncological safety of skin sparing mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction for locally advanced breast cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Skin sparing mastectomy (SSM) has been demonstrated as an oncologically safe procedure for early breast cancer in several studies. But few studies concerned the safety of SSM for patients with locally advanced breast cancer; therefore, its safety for these patients is less clear. The purpose of this study is to examine the oncological safety of SSM followed by immediate reconstruction for locally advanced breast cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 897 breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomy for stage IIB (T3N0)-III between 1996 and 2005. Of 897, 87 underwent SSM (n = 73) or nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM, n = 14). We compared the local recurrence (LR) rate, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) for SSM group with conventional mastectomy group.

RESULTS

The 5-year DFS and OS of SSM group were not worse than those of CM group for all stages. LR rate was 3.0% (2/67) for IIB, 2.8% (1/36) for IIIA, 4.5% (1/22) for IIIC, and 5.0% (1/20) for T3 in SSM group. There was no difference in LR rates between SSM group and CM group for all stages.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that SSM followed by immediate reconstruction is oncologically safe for locally advanced breast cancer.

Oncological outcome and patient satisfaction with skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

The management of early breast cancer (BC) with skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) and immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) is not based on level-1 evidence. In this study, the oncological outcome, post-operative morbidity and patients' satisfaction with SSM and IBR using the latissimus dorsi (LD) myocutaneous flap and/or breast prosthesis is evaluated.

METHODS

137 SSMs with IBR (10 bilateral) were undertaken in 127 consecutive women, using the LD flap plus implant (n = 85), LD flap alone (n = 1) or implant alone (n = 51), for early BC (n = 130) or prophylaxis (n = 7). Nipple reconstruction was performed in 69 patients, using the trefoil local flap technique (n = 61), nipple sharing (n = 6), skin graft (n = 1) and Monocryl mesh (n = 1). Thirty patients underwent contra-lateral procedures to enhance symmetry, including 19 augmentations and 11 mastopexy/reduction mammoplasties. A linear visual analogue scale was used to assess patient satisfaction with surgical outcome, ranging from 0 (not satisfied) to 10 (most satisfied).

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 36 months (range = 6-101 months) there were no local recurrences. Overall breast cancer specific survival was 99.2%, 8 patients developed distant disease and 1 died of metastatic BC. There were no cases of partial or total LD flap loss. Morbidities included infection, requiring implant removal in 2 patients and 1 patient developed marginal ischaemia of the skin envelope. Chemotherapy was delayed in 1 patient due to infection. Significant capsule formation, requiring capsulotomy, was observed in 85% of patients who had either post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMR) or prior radiotherapy (RT) compared with 13% for those who had not received RT. The outcome questionnaire was completed by 82 (64.6%) of 127 patients with a median satisfaction score of 9 (range = 5-10).

CONCLUSION

SSM with IBR is associated with low morbidity, high levels of patient satisfaction and is oncologically safe for T(is), T1 and T2 tumours without extensive skin involvement.

Oncological safety and patient satisfaction with skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction

INTRODUCTION

The management of early breast cancer with skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) and immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) is not based on evidence from randomised controlled trials. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the oncological safety, post-operative morbidity and patients' satisfaction with SSM and IBR using the latissimus dorsi (LD) myocutaneous flap and/or breast prosthesis.

METHODS

Eighty-three consecutive women underwent 93 SSMs with IBR (10 bilateral), using the LD flap plus implant (n=55) or implant alone (n=38), indications included early breast cancer and prophylaxis due to BRCA-1 gene mutation. Nipple reconstruction was performed in 38 patients, using the trefoil local flap technique, nipple sharing or Monocryl mesh. Twenty-three underwent contra-lateral surgery in order to optimise symmetry, including 15 augmentations and eight mastopexy/reduction mammoplasties. Patient satisfaction with the outcome of surgery was assessed on a linear visual analogue scale ranging from 0 (not satisfied) to 10 (most satisfied).

RESULTS

There was no local recurrence (LR) after a median follow-up of 34 months (range=3-79 months). Overall survival was 98.8%, three patients developed distant disease and one patient died of metastatic breast cancer. No case of partial or total LD flap loss was observed. Morbidities included infection, requiring implant removal in two patients and one patient developed marginal ischaemia of the skin envelope. Significant capsule formation, requiring capsulotomy, was observed in 87% of patients who had either PMR or prior RT compared with 13% for those who did not have RT. Sixty-one (73.5%) of 83 patients completed the questionnaire with a median and mean satisfaction scores of 10.0 and 9.3, respectively (range=6-10).

CONCLUSION

SSM with IBR is associated with low morbidity, high levels of patient satisfaction and is oncologically adequate for T(is), T1 and T2 tumours without extensive skin involvement.

Percent positive axillary lymph node metastasis predicts survival in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer

PURPOSE

We retrospectively evaluated the impact of percent positive axillary nodal involvement on the therapeutic outcomes in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer receiving postmastectomy radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between January 1994 and December 2002, the medical records of 939 eligible non metastatic breast carcinoma patients were analyzed. Chest wall radiotherapy was indicated in case of positive surgical margin, tumor size equal or more than 4 cm, skin-fascia invasion. Lymphatic irradiation was applied for more than three metastatic axillary lymph nodes, incomplete axillary dissection (<10 lymph nodes), extracapsular extension or perinodal fat tissue invasion. A total dose of 50 Gy was given to chest wall and lymph node regions with 2 Gy daily fractions. Statistical analyses were performed by Kaplan-Meier method, Log-rank test and Cox's regression analysis.

RESULTS

The median follow-up for all patients alive was 62 months. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) for entire cohort were 81%, and 65%, respectively. Univariate analysis for OS revealed significance for tumour size (< or =5 cm vs. >5 cm, p<0.001), metastatic nodal involvement (0 vs. 1-3 vs. >4 LN, p<0.001), percent positive nodal involvement ([metastatic nodes/total nodes removed] x 100; 0 vs. < or =25% vs. 26-50% vs. >50%, p<0.001), surgical margin status (negative vs. positive, p=0.05), and hormonal treatment (present vs. absent, p=0.03). DFS had similarly significance for age (< or =40 years vs. >40 years, p=0.006), tumour size (0.02), metastatic nodal involvement (p<0.001), percent positive nodal involvement (p<0.001), and perinodal invasion (present vs. absent, p=0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed significance for tumour size, percent positive nodal involvement, hormonal treatment, and surgical margin status for OS. Age and percent positive nodal involvement were found to be significant for DFS.

CONCLUSION

Percent positive nodal involvement was found to be a significant prognostic factor for survival in all end-points.

Oncological and aesthetic considerations of skin-sparing mastectomy

AIM

To review the oncological safety and aesthetic value of skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) for invasive breast cancer (IBC) and ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS). Controversies including the impact of radiotherapy (RT) on immediate breast reconstruction (IBR), preservation of the nipple-areola complex (NAC) and the role of endoscopic mastectomy are also considered.

METHODS

Literature review facilitated by Medline and PubMed databases.

RESULTS

SSM is an oncologically safe technique in selected cases, including IBC <5 cm, multi-centric tumours, DCIS and prophylactic risk-reduction surgery. The high risk of local recurrence (LR) excludes inflammatory breast cancers and tumours with extensive involvement of the skin. SSM can facilitate IBR and is associated with an excellent aesthetic result. Prior breast irradiation or the need for post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMR) do not preclude SSM, however the cosmetic outcome may be affected. Nipple/areola preservation is possible for remote tumours, employing a frozen section protocol for the retro-areolar tissue. There is limited data available for endoscopic mastectomy and superiority over conventional SSM has not been established.

CONCLUSION

In appropriately selected cases SSM is oncologically adequate. There are several patient centred advantages over conventional mastectomy, including aesthetic outcome and the avoidance of multiple staged procedures. Despite widespread uptake into surgical practice, validation of these techniques from randomised controlled trials is lacking.

Validation of clinical prediction rules for a low probability of nonsentinel and extensive lymph node involvement in breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Two recently developed clinical prediction rules aim to anticipate the lack of nonsentinel lymph node metastases and the involvement of less than 4 lymph nodes in breast cancer patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs).

METHODS

The University of Louisville Breast SLN Study clinical prediction rules were validated on an independent set of SLN-positive patients with tumors < or = 15 mm.

RESULTS

The data on 475 and 473 patients, respectively, were used for the validation. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were similar to the originals for both predictive tools (.70 and .76). The lowest score of 1 identified 5 of 7 patients with disease limited to the SLNs and 161 of 165 as having less than 4 involved lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

A subset of patients with SLN-only involvement and less than 4 metastatic lymph nodes can probably be identified by means of the Louisville clinical prediction rules, but prediction of the lack of non-SLN metastasis seems less reliable.

Postmastectomy radiation therapy: indications and controversies

The indications and benefits of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) continue to evolve. Advances in systemic adjuvant therapy and targeted therapy for breast cancer are likely to play an increasingly important role in control of locoregional as well as distant disease. Ongoing scrutiny of patterns of chest wall failure will be required to define the net benefit derived from PMRT. This article discusses the 2001 American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines for PMRT and current practices using PMRT in selected groups of patients who have breast cancer.

Strategies in treating male breast cancer

Male breast cancer is rare. Median age at diagnosis is approximately 65 years, and > 35% of male breast cancers occur in elderly men. Retroareolar lump is the most frequent symptom, and 25-30% of tumours are T(4) lesions. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma represents almost 90% of the cases, and 10% are ductal carcinoma in situ. Axillary nodal involvement is present in 50-60% of the cases. Estrogen and progesterone receptors are positive in 75-92% and 54-77% of the cases. Mastectomy with axillary dissection remains the standard treatment. Sentinel lymph node biopsy could be proposed in small tumours (< or = 2 cm). Locoregional radiotherapy is very often indicated. Tamoxifen is the standard adjuvant treatment, but chemotherapy is proposed in young men with axillary nodal involvement and/or negative hormone receptors. Tumour size and, more particularly, histopathological axillary involvement are the strongest predictive factors for both locoregional recurrence and metastasis. Globally, the prognosis is similar to that in women (at identical stage), but the intercurrent death rate is higher due to the important impact of comorbidities and second neoplasm.

Oncologic principles in breast reconstruction

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in North American women. Although the incidence has risen over the last 20 years, mortality rates appear to be decreasing, possibly as a result of earlier detection and more effective therapy. Breast cancer is a heterogeneous group of conditions that can be divided into the noninvasive entities of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) and ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS), and invasive cancers. In this article, the spectrum of breast cancer is presented from the noninvasive entities, through invasive breast cancer types, to advanced and recurrent cancer. The rationales for current treatment options are presented. Evidence is presented for current adjuvant treatment options, and the rationale for surgical decision-making is presented.

Skin-sparing mastectomy and radiotherapy: an update

Despite the lack of randomised controlled trials and paucity of the published data, the current evidence suggests that the post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) does not represent a contraindication to skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) and immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) in the multidisciplinary setting. Although PMRT is associated with a higher incidence of complications, a satisfactory cosmetic outcome can be achieved in most patients. Radiation has a deleterious effect on autologous flap reconstruction that relies on fat for volume replacement such as the deep inferior epi-gastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction and this method of reconstruction should be delayed until RT is completed. Until better methods of RT delivery are developed to minimise complications, women at high risk of requiring PMRT, can be safely offered SSM and IBR with a sub-pectoral saline-filled tissue expander and this can be replaced with a permanent prosthesis or converted into an autologous flap reconstruction after the completion of RT. Any capsule formation can be surgically treated at this stage. This new concept, known as immediate-delayed reconstruction, can avoid the cosmetic and RT delivery problems that can occur after IBR.

Furthermore, prior RT does not represent a contra-indication to SSM and IBR, however it increases the incidence of complications.

New trends in breast cancer management: is the era of immediate breast reconstruction changing?

OBJECTIVE

Review of available literature on the topic of breast reconstruction and radiation is presented. Factors influencing the decision-making process in breast reconstruction are analyzed. New trends of immediate breast reconstruction are presented.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

New indications for postmastectomy radiation have caused a dramatic increase in the number of radiated patients presenting for breast reconstruction. The major studies and their impact on breast cancer management practice are analyzed. Unsatisfactory results of conventional immediate reconstruction techniques followed by radiotherapy led to a new treatment algorithm for these patients. If the need for postoperative radiation therapy is known, a delayed reconstruction should be considered. When an immediate reconstruction is still desired despite the certainty of postoperative radiotherapy, reconstructive options should be based on tissue characteristics and blood supply. Autologous tissue reconstruction options should be given a priority in an order reflecting superiority of vascularity and resistance to radiation: latissimus dorsi flap, free TRAM or pedicled TRAM without any contralateral components of tissue, pedicled TRAM/midabdominal TRAM, and perforator flap.

CONCLUSIONS

When the indications for postoperative radiotherapy are unknown, premastectomy sentinel node biopsy, delayed-immediate reconstruction, or delayed reconstruction is preferable.

The severity, outcome and challenges of breast cancer in Nigeria

Breast cancer is a very common disease in Nigeria. It is often associated with a poor prognosis for a variety of reasons. This study was designed to investigate the challenges, severity, outcome and factors influencing the outcome of the management of breast cancer in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital with a view to finding ways to improve the current dismal outlook for patients with the disease. The clinical records of patients seen with breast cancer over an 8-year period (1996-2003) in the two units of the Teaching hospital were reviewed. The two units serve the urban, semi-urban and rural communities of some parts of southwestern Nigeria. Two hundred and twelve patients with breast cancer were seen over the 8-year period of the study. The mean age was 48 years (23-85 years). There were 211 female and one male. One hundred and three patients (48.7%) had either postprimary or tertiary education. A proportion of 66.7% were premenopausal, 79.2% had pregnancy early in life and were multi-parous. These also gave a history of prolonged breast-feeding of their children. The tumour was self-detected in 195 (92%). The mean duration of symptoms was 11.2 months (9 days-7 years). Pain in 100 patients (47%) was the most common symptom and the cancer was in the left breast in 113 (53.3%). Localized cancer was in the upper outer quadrant in 85 (40%), whereas the whole breast was involved in 55 patients (26%). Loco-regional features of advanced cancer were seen in 157 patients (74%). The tumour was fungating in 83 (39%) and there was clinical evidence of systemic metastasis in 28 patients (13%). One hundred and seventy-four (80.6%) patients had advanced disease (stages 3 and 4). Definitive surgery was possible in 185 patients (87.3%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy was required in 65 (30.6%), postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in 178 (84%; drug combinations were CMF-cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, CMFP-CMF plus prednisone, and CAF-cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, 5-fluorouracil), tamoxifen was administered in all the patients. Only 70 (33.2%) patients were known to have received radiotherapy among those referred to the Radiotherapy unit, with associated fair treatment compliance after surgery. Outpatient clinic attendance was also very poor, only 27 (12.7%) were still being seen in the clinic, 83 patients (39%) were known to be dead and 102 patients were lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up period was 8.4 months (1 week-6 years). In conclusion, breast cancer is very common in our area of practice in Nigeria; the majority of our patients were young and premenopausal women presenting in the advanced stages of cancer. Treatment compliance was very poor. The majority of the patients were dead or lost to follow-up within a year of diagnosis.

Oncological considerations of skin-sparing mastectomy

Aim

To review evidence concerning the oncological safety of performing skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) for invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Furthermore, the evidence concerning RT in relation to SSM and the possibility of nipple preservation was considered.

Methods

Literature review facilitated by Medline and PubMed databases.

Findings

Despite the lack of randomised controlled trials, SSM has become an accepted procedure in women undergoing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction for early breast cancer. Compared to non-skin-sparing mastectomy (NSSM), SSM seems to be oncologically safe in patients undergoing mastectomy for invasive tumours smaller than 5 cm, multicentric tumours, DCIS or risk-reduction. However, the technique should be avoided in patients with inflammatory breast cancer or in those with extensive tumour involvement of the skin in view of the high risk of local recurrence. SSM with nipple areola complex (NAC) preservation appears to be oncologically safe, provided the tumour is not close to the nipple and a frozen section protocol for the retro-areolar tissue is followed. Although radiotherapy (RT) does not represent a contraindication to SSM, the latter should be used with caution if postoperative RT is likely, since it detracts from the final cosmetic outcome.

Prognostic index score and clinical prediction model of local regional recurrence after mastectomy in breast cancer patients

PURPOSE

To develop clinical prediction models for local regional recurrence (LRR) of breast carcinoma after mastectomy that will be superior to the conventional measures of tumor size and nodal status.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Clinical information from 1,010 invasive breast cancer patients who had primary modified radical mastectomy formed the database of the training and testing of clinical prognostic and prediction models of LRR. Cox proportional hazards analysis and Bayesian tree analysis were the core methodologies from which these models were built. To generate a prognostic index model, 15 clinical variables were examined for their impact on LRR. Patients were stratified by lymph node involvement (<4 vs. >or =4) and local regional status (recurrent vs. control) and then, within strata, randomly split into training and test data sets of equal size. To establish prediction tree models, 255 patients were selected by the criteria of having had LRR (53 patients) or no evidence of LRR without postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) (202 patients).

RESULTS

With these models, patients can be divided into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups on the basis of axillary nodal status, estrogen receptor status, lymphovascular invasion, and age at diagnosis. In the low-risk group, there is no influence of PMRT on either LRR or survival. For intermediate-risk patients, PMRT improves LR control but not metastases-free or overall survival. For the high-risk patients, however, PMRT improves both LR control and metastasis-free and overall survival.

CONCLUSION

The prognostic score and predictive index are useful methods to estimate the risk of LRR in breast cancer patients after mastectomy and for estimating the potential benefits of PMRT. These models provide additional information criteria for selection of patients for PMRT, compared with the traditional selection criteria of nodal status and tumor size.

Skin-sparing mastectomy

Background

Skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) is a new technique being used in a variety of clinical settings. This article reviews the published data on SSM to establish its current role in clinical practice.

Methods

A Medline search was carried out using the key words ‘skin-sparing mastectomy’ to identify English-language articles published between 1990 and 2004 and further material referenced in these publications.

Results

SSM is most commonly used for surgical prophylaxis and to treat in situ and early invasive disease in patients who request immediate breast reconstruction. SSM and non-SSM result in similar surgical and oncological outcomes, but skin flap ischaemia is more common after SSM and is associated with a range of risk factors, including smoking.

Conclusion

SSM has become an established procedure in breast surgery, but there is a lack of prospective data on which to make evidence-based decisions about its use in individual patients.

Clinicopathologic Features Associated With Having Four or More Metastatic Axillary Nodes in Breast Cancer Patients With a Positive Sentinel Lymph Node

BACKGROUND

The survival benefit of a completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients after removal of a metastatic sentinel lymph node (SLN) is uncertain and is under study in ongoing clinical trials. The completion ALND remains necessary, however, for the identification of cases with at least four metastatic lymph nodes, in which extended-field locoregional and/or postmastectomy radiation will be recommended. Our goal was evaluate clinicopathologic features that might serve as surrogates for determining which patients with a positive SLN are likely or unlikely to belong to this high-risk subset.

METHODS

Records were reviewed for 285 patients from 2 comprehensive cancer centers who underwent completion ALND after resection of a metastatic SLN from 1995 to 2002. Clinicopathologic features were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Forty-one cases (14%) were found to have at least four positive nodes after ALND.

RESULTS

Fisher's exact test revealed the following features to be significantly (P < .05) associated with having four or more nodal metastases: tumor size >2 cm, lymphovascular invasion, an increasing ratio of positive SLNs to the total number of resected SLNs, extranodal extension, and the size of the SLN metastasis. Patients whose largest SLN metastasis was <2 mm had only a 1.4% risk of having four or more metastatic nodes (P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that patients with SLN micrometastases face an extremely low likelihood of having extensive nodal disease on completion ALND. Patients with larger primary tumors, lymphovascular invasion, and extranodal extension are more likely to have ALND findings that will affect their cancer management.

Sophisticated radiotherapy with optimal surgery is the way forward

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Radiotherapy has been one of the cornerstones of treatment for breast cancer for more than a century and has contributed to conservation of the breast and improved locoregional control after mastectomy. This review assesses the most recent evidence generated by clinical scientists in the field of radiotherapy for breast cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

Results from mature trials investigating the role of radiotherapy in breast cancer treatment and the publication of meta-analyses of treatment effects have shown that in addition to improvements in local control, a survival benefit is obtained in several disease settings. These include breast-conserving therapy and postmastectomy radiotherapy. Further, improved diagnostic abilities and surgical techniques, together with advances in treatment delivery, will help to increase the therapeutic ratio of radiotherapy.

SUMMARY

There is increasing evidence for long-term benefits of radiotherapy for breast cancer and a reduction in the risks of late side effects in recent decades. This can have a profound impact on clinical practice in the future, leading to a broadening and individualizing of the indications for radiotherapy and improvements in patient survival.

Long-term results of adjuvant hypofractionated radiotherapy for breast cancer in elderly patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate early and late reactions, local control, disease-free survival, cause-specific survival, and overall survival of elderly breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant once-weekly hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Between 1987 and 1999, 150 patients (median age, 78 years) who presented with 151 nonmetastatic breast tumors were treated with surgery and then adjuvant hypofractionated RT. The clinical stage distribution was as follows: T1 in 47.7%, T2 in 43.2%, T3 in 6.1%, and T4 in 3.0%. Axillary lymph nodes were positive in 33.8% of cases. Estrogen receptors were present in 89.9%, and progesterone receptors in 77.3%. Conservative breast surgery was performed in 71.5% and total mastectomy in 28.5%. RT was delivered once weekly in five fractions of 6.5 Gy to a total dose of 32.5 Gy. A boost was delivered to the tumor bed in 33.1%. Adjuvant hormonal therapy was given in 76.2% of patients. The median follow-up was 65 months.

RESULTS

The Kaplan-Meier rate of all grades of early skin reactions was 26.5%, and the rate of all late reactions was 45.5%, mainly Grades 1 and 2. Early and late reactions were greater in those who underwent boost RT. The long-term local recurrence rate was 2.3%. The 5-year and 10-year disease-free survival rate was 80% and 71.5%, respectively. The corresponding rates for cause-specific survival were 89.1% and 77.6%. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rate was 71.6% and 46.5%, respectively. These endpoints were influenced by tumor size, lymph node status, and hormone receptor status to varying degrees; however, tumor size appeared to be a major determinant on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

This hypofractionated RT scheme resulted in mild early reactions and acceptable late toxicity, in addition to providing excellent long-term local control. It can be proposed to patients who would have difficulties sustaining daily treatment because of old age or disabling associated disease.

Skin-sparing mastectomy

BACKGROUND

Skin-sparing mastectomy represents a new surgical approach that allows a mastectomy while preserving the natural skin envelope of the breast. It facilitates immediate breast reconstruction using an implant or myocutaneous flap, resulting in excellent cosmesis.

DATA SOURCES

A PubMed database literature search was performed.

CONCLUSIONS

Skin-sparing mastectomy is an oncologically safe technique in selected cases; T1/T2, multicentric tumors, ductal carcinoma in situ, and prophylactic mastectomies are particularly suited to this technique. Further research is required to confirm oncologic safety in T3 tumors. In selected cases, the nipple-areola complex can be preserved. A modification of skin-sparing mastectomy includes the removal of the nipple while preserving the areola. The balance of evidence suggests that skin-sparing mastectomy does not increase the risk of locoregional recurrence. Furthermore, it does not delay adjuvant therapies. Contraindications to skin-sparing mastectomy approaches include inflammatory breast cancer and extensive skin involvement by tumor. Preoperative and postoperative radiotherapy are not a contraindication to skin-sparing mastectomy.