Oncological safety of autologous lipoaspirate grafting in breast cancer patients: a systematic review

Exosomes from Adipose-Tissue-Derived Stem Cells Induce Proapoptotic Gene Expression in Breast Tumor Cell Line

Lipofilling is an option for breast reconstruction after tumor resection to avoid the complications of an implant-based reconstruction. Although some concerns exist regarding the oncological safety of tissue rich in mesenchymal stem cells with their proangiogenic and proliferation-supportive properties, there are also reports that adipose-tissue-derived stem cells can exhibit antitumoral properties. We isolated primary adipose-tissue-derived stem cells. Both conditioned medium and exosomes were harvested from the cell culture and used to treat the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Cell viability, cytotoxicity, and gene expression of MCF-7 cells in response to the indirect co-culture were evaluated. MCF-7 cells incubated with exosomes from adipose-tissue-derived stem cells show reduced cell viability in comparison to MCF-7 cells incubated with adipose-tissue-derived stem-cell-conditioned medium. Expression of proapoptotic genes was upregulated, and expression of antiapoptotic genes was downregulated. The debate about the oncological safety of autologous fat grafting after tumor resection continues. Here, we show that exosomes from adipose-tissue-derived stem cells exhibit some antitumoral properties on breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

Optimizing Prepectoral Implant Placement and Concomitant Fat Grafting After Tissue Expansion

BACKGROUND

Prepectoral implant-based breast reconstruction is often supplemented by autologous fat grafting to optimize aesthetic outcomes. This usually entails several rounds of modest fat transfer to minimize risk of necrosis; however, the limits of fat grafting at expander exchange are not known.

METHODS

A single-institution retrospective review from July 2016 to February 2022 was performed of all patients who underwent (1) mastectomy, (2) prepectoral tissue expander placement, (3) expander exchange for implant, and (4) at least one round of autologous fat transfer. Student t test and χ2 test were used.

RESULTS

A total of 82 breasts underwent a single round of fat grafting during implant placement (group 1); 75 breasts underwent fat grafting that occurred in multiple rounds and/or in delay to implant placement (group 2). Group 1 received more fat at the time of implant placement (100 mL; interquartile range, 55-140 mL; P < 0.001) and underwent fewer planned operative procedures compared with group 2 (1.0 vs 2.2, P < 0.001). Total fat volume in group 2 did not significantly exceed that of group 1 until after 3 rounds of fat transfer (128.5 mL; interquartile range, 90-130 mL; P < 0.01). There was no difference in the rate of fat necrosis between groups after the first round (15.9% vs 9.3%, P = 0.2) and final round (15.9% vs 12.0%, P = 0.5) of fat grafting. Complication rates were similar between groups (3.7% vs 8.0%, P = 0.2).

CONCLUSIONS

A 2-stage approach of prepectoral tissue expander placement with single round of larger volume fat transfer at expander exchange reduces overall number of operative procedures without increased risks.

BREAST trial study protocol: evaluation of a non-invasive technique for breast reconstruction in a multicentre, randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Pioneers have shown that it is possible to reconstruct a full breast using just autologous fat harvested by liposuction or autologous fat transfer (AFT). This study describes the first multicentre randomised study protocol to thoroughly investigate the effectiveness of AFT to reconstruct full breasts following mastectomy procedures (primarily and delayed).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study is designed as a multicentre, randomised controlled clinical superiority trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio. A total of 196 patients (98 patients per treatment arm) are aimed to be included. Patients who wish to undergo breast reconstruction with either one of the two techniques are randomly allocated into the AFT group (intervention) or the tissue-expander/prosthesis group (control). The primary outcome measure for the quality of life is measured by the validated BREAST-Q questionnaire.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Approval for this study was obtained from the medical ethics committee of Maastricht University Medical Centre/Maastricht University; the trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The results of this randomised controlled trial will be presented at scientific meetings as abstracts for poster or oral presentations and published in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL STATUS

Enrolment into the trial has started in October 2015. Data collection and data analysis are expected to be completed in December 2021.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02339779.

A Prospective Study of the Efficacy of Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer with Stromal Vascular Fraction to Correct Contour Deformities of the Autologous Reconstructed Breast

BACKGROUND

Autologous lipotransfer has increasingly become popular for breast reconstruction. Moreover, owing to the emergence of information regarding the efficacy of stromal vascular fraction (SVF) in terms of oncological safety and survival rate, procedures based on cell-assisted lipotransfer (CAL) have been widely employed recently. However, quantitative data of CAL with SVF are lacking. We evaluated the efficacy of CAL using SVF on survival rate in breast reconstruction.

METHODS

A 12-month prospective study was conducted for 20 patients (20 breasts) requiring breast asymmetry correction due to volume deficit following autologous breast reconstruction using a transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap or latissimus dorsi flap after total mastectomy. After the patients were equally divided into two groups-fat graft with SVF (Group 1, n = 10) and without SVF (Group 2, n = 10)-, the variance of breast volume was measured using three-dimensional scanning to analyze fat graft retention rate. Moreover, patient satisfaction and complications were investigated.

RESULTS

Fat graft retention rate was higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 at both postoperative 6 months (73.8% vs. 62.2%; p = 0.03) and 12 months (65.4% vs. 48.4%; p = 0.03). Group 1 showed higher patient satisfaction. Regarding complications, fat necrosis occurred in 1 patient each in both groups. However, locoregional recurrence was not observed in any patient during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

CAL with SVF is effective in increasing survival rates of autologous fat grafts for correction of volume deficit after breast reconstruction. Moreover, it is associated with improved patient satisfaction in terms of the esthetic aspect.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells for breast tissue regeneration

With an escalating incidence of breast cancer cases all over the world and the deleterious psychological impact that mastectomy has on patients along with several limitations of the currently applied modalities, it's plausible to seek unconventional approaches to encounter such a burgeoning issue. Breast tissue engineering may allow that chance via providing more personalized solutions which are able to regenerate, mimicking natural tissues also facing the witnessed limitations. This review is dedicated to explore the utilization of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells for breast tissue regeneration among postmastectomy cases focusing on biomaterials and cellular aspects in terms of harvesting, isolation, differentiation and new tissue formation as well as scaffolds types, properties, material-host interaction and an in vitro breast tissue modeling.

Analysis of oncological safety of autologous fat grafting after immediate breast reconstruction

Background

Fat grafting is now a common procedure for breast reconstruction. Many clinical studies have reported its aesthetic efficacy and oncological safety, but some experimental studies raise about the recurrence risk because of its regenerating property. This study aims to investigate the possibility of cancer recurrence associated with fat grafting.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed a total of 339 patients who had undergone immediate reconstructive surgery after nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) or skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) in our institution between February 28, 2009 and March 23, 2019. Patients who had undergone breast conserving surgery, radical mastectomy, or delayed reconstruction were excluded. We used univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models to evaluate the association between fat grafting and cancer recurrence.

Results

Among the 339 patients during a median follow-up of 52 months, 27 patients (8.0%) were confirmed to have recurrent cancer. Of 67 patients who had undergone fat grafting, 10 patients were confirmed to have cancer recurrence. In multivariate analyses, fat grafting [hazard ratio (HR), 2.52; 95% CI, 1.005-6.317; P=0.0488] was independently associated with cancer recurrence.

Conclusions

In population of breast cancer patient who underwent immediate reconstruction in our institution, fat grafting showed significant higher risk of cancer recurrence. Although these results are at odds with many existing studies, it suggests that more careful follow-up may be necessary for patients who had undergone fat grafting after reconstructive surgery.

Fat Grafting in Breast Reconstruction

The past two decades have witnessed a growing application of autologous fat grafting in the setting of breast reconstruction after surgical treatment of breast cancer. While traditionally used to correct contour deformities during secondary revisions, fat grafting has since evolved to achieve desired breast shape and size both as a complementary adjunct to established reconstructive techniques as well as a standalone technique for whole breast reconstruction. In this article, we will review fat grafting as an adjunct to autologous and implant-breast based reconstruction, an option for primary breast reconstruction, and a treatment of postmastectomy pain.

Lipofilling after breast conserving surgery: a comprehensive literature review investigating its oncologic safety

Lipofilling has regenerative properties used to improve deformities after breast conserving surgery. Our hypothesis is that there is inadequate data to ensure that lipofilling does not increase locoregional cancer recurrence after breast conserving surgery. A PRISMA comprehensive literature review was conducted of articles published prior to October 2019 investigating recurrence in patients who underwent lipofilling after breast conserving surgery. All forms of breast conserving surgery, fat grafting, and injection intervals were included. Patients undergoing mastectomy were excluded. Requirements to define lipofilling as "safe" included (I) a defined interval between resection and lipofilling; (II) a minimum follow-up period of 6 years from tumor resection; (III) a minimum follow-up period of 3 years from lipofilling; (IV) presence of a control group; (V) controls matched for ER/PR/Her-2; (VI) a sub-group analysis focusing on ER/PR/Her-2; (VII) adequate powering. Nineteen studies met inclusion criteria. The range in time from breast conserving surgery to fat injection was 0-76 months. The average time to follow-up after lipofilling was 23 days-60 months. Two studies had a sufficient follow-up time from both primary resection and from lipofilling. Seventeen of the nineteen studies specified the interval between resection and lipofilling, but there is currently no consensus regarding how soon lipofilling can be performed following BCS. Eight studies performed a subgroup analysis in cases of recurrence and found recurrence after lipofilling was associated with number of positive axillary nodes, intraepithelial neoplasia, high grade histology, Luminal A subtype, age <50, Ki-67 expression, and lipofilling within 3 months of primary resection. Of the eleven studies that included a comparison group, one matched patient for Her-2 and there was a statistically significant difference in Her-2 positive cancers in the study arms of two articles. Several studies deemed lipofilling "safe," two showed association of lipofilling and local recurrence, and most studies concluded that further research was needed. Insufficient and contradictory data exists to demonstrate the safety of lipofilling after breast conserving surgery. A multicentered, well designed study is needed to verify the safety of this practice.

Oncological Risk in Autologous Stem Cell Donation for Novel Tissue-Engineering Approaches to Postmastectomy Breast Regeneration

Adipose tissue engineering using adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) has emerged as an opportunity to develop novel approaches to postmastectomy breast reconstruction with the potential for an autologous tissue source with a natural appearance and texture. As of yet, the role of ADSCs in breast cancer development and metastasis is not completely understood; therefore, we must consider the oncological safety of employing an autologous source of ADSCs for use in breast regeneration. This study investigated the regenerative properties of ADSCs isolated from breast cancer patients, including those who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and noncancer controls. The ADSCs were characterised for several parameters central to tissue regeneration, including cell viability, proliferation, differentiation potential, and cytokine secretion. A stem cell population was isolated and confirmed by flow cytometry and multilineage differentiation. There was no difference in cell phenotype or surface antigen expression between ADSCs from different sources. Adipose-derived stem cells isolated from the breast of cancer patients exhibited reduced adipogenic differentiation potential compared with ADSCs from other sources. The greatest degree of adipogenic differentiation was observed in ADSCs isolated from the subcutaneous abdominal fat of noncancer controls. The proliferation rate of ADSCs isolated from the breast of cancer patients was increased compared with other sources; however, it was decreased in ADSCs isolated from breast cancer patients who had recently been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A number of cytokines were detected in the cell conditioned media of ADSCs from different sources, including matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), which was detected at higher levels in the secretome of ADSCs from breast cancer patients compared with noncancer controls. This study provides important information relating to the suitability of ADSCs as an autologous cell source for adipose tissue engineering in postcancer reconstruction. Results indicate that while the surface phenotype does not differ, the differentiation capacity, proliferative rate, and secreted cytokine profile are affected by the presence or treatment of breast cancer. These findings support further investigation into the regenerative potential of these ADSCs, if they are to be considered in clinical reconstructive strategies.

Autologous fat grafting after sarcoma surgery: Evaluation of oncological safety

BACKGROUND

The regenerative effectiveness of lipoaspirate procedures relies on the presence of mesenchymal stem cells, but the stromal microenvironment and hormonal secretions of the adipose tissue may be involved in cancer growth. Only few oncological outcome studies of fat grafting at the surgical site of malignant neoplasms of mesenchymal origin are available; none of these studies examined a series of sarcoma cases.

OBJECTIVES

We analyzed outcome in terms of local or distant spread and overall survival to investigate the oncological safety of fat grafting in patients with sarcoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty consecutive patients who had undergone 143 fat grafting procedures after surgical resection of bone and soft tissue sarcomas of the head, trunk, and limbs with clear resection margins were enrolled from 2004 to 2015 in our tertiary care center. A multidisciplinary sarcoma team administered adjuvant therapies. Patients were recurrence free at fat grafting.

RESULTS

The overall median follow-up was 7.5 years. At follow-up after fat grafting (2.4 years), one patient had distant metastasis and two had local relapse. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed disease-free survival rate of 95.4% (CI: 89.1-100.0) at 24 months. The risk of local recurrence (LR) within 24 months was 4.6% (CI: 0.0-20.9). The probability of not having LR after fat grafting was ≥ 89.1%.

CONCLUSION

We found no evidence of an increased cancer risk after fat grafting procedures in patients with sarcoma, but a stimulatory role of fat cannot be excluded for bone sarcomas based on the cases reported here, and further studies are therefore needed.

Meta-analysis of the oncological safety of autologous fat transfer after breast cancer

Lipofilling ok

Fat Grafting to the Breast: Clinical Applications and Outcomes for Reconstructive Surgery

This article is a review of fat grafting for breast reconstruction. The use of small volume fat grafting for the correction of step-off deformities, intrinsic deformities, and extrinsic deformities of the breast, and the uses of large volume fat grafting for total breast reconstruction, correction of implant complications with simultaneous implant exchange with fat, and correction of noncancer chest wall deformities is reviewed. Cancer monitoring and the risks of cancer recurrence following fat-grafting to the breast is also reviewed.

Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Novel Approaches to Breast Reconstruction: Their Suitability for Tissue Engineering and Oncological Safety

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are rapidly becoming the gold standard cell source for tissue engineering strategies and hold great potential for novel breast reconstruction strategies. However, their use in patients with breast cancer is controversial and their oncological safety, particularly in relation to local disease recurrence, has been questioned. In vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies using ADSCs report conflicting data on their suitability for adipose tissue regeneration in patients with cancer. This review aims to provide an overview of the potential role for ADSCs in breast reconstruction and to examine the evidence relating to the oncologic safety of their use in patients with breast cancer.

Breast Augmentation and Reconstruction from a Regenerative Medicine Point of View: State of the Art and Future Perspectives

Breast reconstruction and augmentation are very common procedures, yet the prevailing current methods utilize silicone implants that may have significant local complications requiring reoperation. Lipofillling is increasingly used to contour and is considered safe, however, its utility is limited by significant volume loss. A new approach could offer an alternative and increase the scope of patient choice. A small number of teams around the world are investigating a breast tissue engineering (TE) paradigm. Conventional breast TE concepts are based on seeding a scaffold with the patients' own stem cells. However, the clinical viability of many of these approaches is limited by their costs in relevant volumes. In this article the state of the art of tissue-engineered breast reconstruction is reviewed and future perspectives are presented and discussed.

Cancer Risk after Fat Transfer: A Multicenter Case-Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Fat transfer is an increasingly popular method for refining postmastectomy breast reconstructions. However, concern persists that fat transfer may promote disease recurrence. Adipocytes are derived from adipose-derived stem cells and express adipocytokines that can facilitate active breast cancer cells in laboratory models. The authors sought to evaluate the association between fat transfer to the reconstructed breast and cancer recurrence in patients diagnosed with local or regional invasive breast cancers.

METHODS

A multicenter, case-cohort study was performed. Eligible patients from four centers (Memorial Sloan Kettering, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, and the University of Chicago) were identified by each site's institutional tumor registry or cancer data warehouse. Eligibility criteria were as follows: mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction between 2006 and 2011, age older than 21 years, female sex, and incident diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma (stage I, II, or III). Cases consisted of all recurrences during the study period, and controls consisted of a 30 percent random sample of the study population. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate for association between fat transfer and time to recurrence in bivariate and multivariate models.

RESULTS

The time to disease recurrence unadjusted hazard ratio for fat transfer was 0.99 (95 percent CI, 0.56 to 1.7). After adjustment for age, body mass index, stage, HER2/Neu receptor status, and estrogen receptor status, the hazard ratio was 0.97 (95 percent CI, 0.54 to 1.8).

CONCLUSION

In this population of breast cancer patients who had mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, fat transfer was not associated with a higher risk of cancer recurrence.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, III.

Autologous Fat Transplantation to the Reconstructed Breast Does not Hinder Assessment of Mammography and Ultrasound: A Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Autologous fat transplantation (AFT) to the breast can correct defects and be a part of a breast reconstruction to achieve a better aesthetic result. The impact of AFT on the radiological evaluation and detection of cancer remains unclarified. The aim of this study is to investigate whether AFT induces lasting modifications.

METHODS

In the present study, a valuation was performed of 44 breasts from 37 patients examined with mammography and ultrasound before and after autologous fat transplantation. Breast radiologists evaluated the images using a study specific protocol.

RESULTS

AFT did not hinder post-operative assessment of mammograms or ultrasound. No detectable changes with serious clinical impact were found after injections of mean 177 ml (34-516) of fat in one to four sessions. The rate of oil cysts was significantly higher after AFT than pre-operatively (2.3 vs. 34.1 % p = 0.0013). Significantly more post-operative oil cysts were detected after injection of larger volumes of fat (144 vs. 243 ml, p = 0.013). No significant differences were found in the post-operative images regarding age at surgery, follow-up time, or time from previous breast surgery.

CONCLUSION

AFT does not impair assessment of mammograms and ultrasound in patients who have a history of breast cancer surgery or prophylactic mastectomy.

Autologous fat transplantation for breast reconstruction: A literature review

INTRODUCTION

The use of autologous fat transplantation to correct volume and contour defects, scars, and asymmetry after breast cancer surgery has increased over the past 20 years. Many developments and refinements in this technique have taken place in recent years, and several studies of the safety of lipofilling in the breast have been published.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We performed a literature review of this technique, highlighting the crucial role of lipofilling in breast cancer reconstruction.

DISCUSSION

The efficacy of the fat graft transplantation depends on the experience and the technique used by the surgeon. The ASCs (adipose-derived stem cells) contained in the fat graft has proven to be crucial for breast reconstruction by mean the regeneration of tissue, through the chemotactic, paracrine, and immunomodulatory activities and their in situ differentiation.

CONCLUSION

The role of lipofilling for breast reconstruction could be more significant with the application of the findings of experimental research on tissue engineering and ASCs.

Systematic review: The oncological safety of adipose fat transfer after breast cancer surgery

OBJECTIVES

Oncological concerns have risen around the safety of adipose fat transfer (AFT) after breast cancer surgery. In this article, we present the clinical and molecular evidences, and discuss the current contradiction between them.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Every clinical trial and experimental study on AFT and its oncological influences was screened. Between September 2014 and September 2016, 856 articles from four databases were found. 105 core articles were selected.

RESULTS

A total of 18 clinical studies have been published. The loco-regional recurrence (LRR) incidence rates range between 0 and 3.90% per year. For the mastectomy and breast conservative therapy group separately, a LRR per year between 0 and 1.62% and 0-3.90 has been reported, respectively. Some studies included a matched control group and found no significant difference between cases and controls, with the exception of a subgroup of patients with intraepithelial breast carcinoma. Adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells have a potential oncogenic effect on residual cancer cells after breast cancer surgery. Numerous signalling proteins and pathways have been described that can stimulate tumour initiation and growth.

CONCLUSION

There is a contradiction between experimental and clinical findings. Numerous adipokines have been discovered that could potentially promote tumour initiation and growth, but clinical studies fail to point out a significant increase in LRR in patients who receive AFT after breast cancer surgery. More prospective studies are needed with a sufficient follow-up time and analysis of some critical factors, such as adjuvant radiotherapy and hormonal therapy, the origin and volume of the injected fat, and genetic influences.

Autologous Fat Grafting in Cosmetic Breast Augmentation: A Systematic Review on Radiological Safety, Complications, Volume Retention, and Patient/Surgeon Satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Autologous fat grafting (AFG) is increasingly used in cosmetic surgery. However, its efficacy and safety are still ambiguous. Both a comprehensive overview and recapitulation of the relevant literature provide current evidence on the efficacy and outcomes of AFG in cosmetic breast surgery.

OBJECTIVES

This review provides an up-to-date overview of the literature on AFG in cosmetic breast augmentation.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature on AFG used for cosmetic breast augmentation was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. This study included selected studies that were published between January 1996 and February 2016 and reported on 10 patients or more who had a minimal mean follow-up period of 1 year.

RESULTS

In this study, 22 articles that reported on 3565 patients with follow-up periods ranging from 12 to 136 months were included. A complication rate of 17.2% (95% CI 15.9-18.5) was seen. Indurations were the most frequent complication (33.3%, 95% CI 20.4-46.3), followed by persistent pain (25%, 95% CI 0.5-49.5), and hematoma (16.4%, 95% CI 14.5-18.4). Mammograms revealed micro-calcifications (9.0%, 95% CI 6.4-11.5) and macro-calcifications (7.0%, 95% CI 3.8-10.2). The mean volume retention was 62.4% (range, 44.7-82.6%), with a satisfaction rate of 92% in patients and 89% in surgeons.

CONCLUSIONS

AFG is a promising method in achieving autologous cosmetic breast augmentation with satisfactory volume retention and satisfaction rates in eight and six studies, respectively. Complications and radiological findings are comparable to those after implant augmentation. Future studies should focus on cancer occurrence and detection to further substantiate AFG safety. In addition, grafting methods and the use of auxiliary procedures to identify factors leading to better outcomes in terms of volume retention should be investigated. Finally, objective questionnaires are needed to represent patient satisfaction.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 Therapeutic.

A novel method to limit breast cancer stem cells in states of quiescence, proliferation or differentiation: Use of gel stress in combination with stem cell growth factors

The majority of cancer stem cells exist in the G0, or quiescent phase of the cell cycle. However, the cells can escape quiescence following routine radiotherapy and chemotherapy, resulting in tumor recurrence. Presently, achieving the accurate regulation of cancer stem cell growth in order to study a specific state, including the quiescent (mostly G0 or G1 phase), proliferative (mostly S phase) or differential (mostly G2/M phase) states, can be challenging. This makes the determination of cell cycle state-specific characteristics and analysis of potential intervention treatments difficult, particularly for quiescent cells. Breast cancer stem cells were cultured on a soft or hard agar matrix surface in the presence or absence of stem cell growth factors. Cells could be successfully limited in either the quiescent, proliferative or differentiated states. These findings provide a foundation for further study of the cell cycle in breast cancer stem cells.

Potential Safety Loophole of Fat Grafting in Breast Cancer Patients

Autologous fat grafting (AFG) accounts for 9.1 % of all cosmetic surgical procedures in the world. Its use has been increasing tremendously in breast reconstruction and produces satisfying outcomes. However, the lack of standard guidelines for routine screening protocols in breast cancer patients before and after AFG warrants consideration of the safety of AFG use in post-mastectomy and post-lumpectomy reconstruction. This manuscript examines AFG in breast reconstruction publications and details the complications, the mechanism of AFG, as well as the relationship between adipose stem cells (ASCs) and cancer recurrence. The ASCs transferred in AFG act as multiple potent stem cells, which can impact cancer recurrence in various ways. Both in vitro and in vivo studies show that ASCs can stimulate the recurrence of breast cancer. Based on a review of existing evidence, we provide recommendations and guidelines for AFG use in breast reconstruction to aid in clinical decision-making. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the long-term clinical safety of AFG as well as the proposed guidelines.

NO LEVEL ASSIGNED

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Fat grafting for breast cancer patients: From basic science to clinical studies

Fat grafting in the surgical treatment of breast cancer has become popular in a short period of time because of the rising expectations of good esthetic results by the patients as well as the simplicity of the technique; however, the oncological safety for breast cancer patients remains a matter of debate. The procedure raises many questions considering that recent in-vitro studies have shown that fat grafting could promote tumor recurrence through diverse mechanisms, or even facilitate distant metastasis. We present a review of the currently available experimental and clinical data in order to describe and discuss patient selection criteria following breast cancer surgery.

Oncological outcomes of lipofilling breast reconstruction: 195 consecutive cases and literature review

INTRODUCTION

Lipofilling has become a widely used procedure in breast reconstruction after mastectomy or breast-conserving treatment. The possibility that this technique may increase stimulation of cancer development between the potential tumor bed and the lipoaspirates grafts has been raised regarding its safety. The aim of this study was to identify the oncological risks associated with this procedure in our institution.

METHODS

Between years 2007 and 2014 we record 195 consecutive patients with fat grafting technique for reconstructive purpose after breast cancer treatment. The loco-regional recurrence (LRR) as first event of relapse was the primary end point of this study.

RESULTS

We performed 319 lipofilling procedures in 132 mastectomy and 63 breast-conserving surgery patients. Invasive carcinoma represents 81.6% of the series. The median follow-up from primary cancer surgery and fat grafting was 74 and 31 months respectively. Median time between oncologic surgery and lipofilling was 36 months. The authors observed a complication rate of 8.2%, most of them liponecrosis and oil cysts (7.2%). Four local, 2 regional and 4 distant recurrences were observed as first event of relapse in 10 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma. The loco-regional recurrence rate was 3.1% (1.08% per year).

CONCLUSIONS

Although larger prospective trials are needed, these results support the fact that lipofilling following breast cancer treatment leads to a very low rate of complications and similar to other authors, it does not seem to interfere in patient's oncological prognosis when compared with prior publications.

Occurrence of Breast Mucinous Carcinoma After Autologous Fat Grating for Breast Augmentation

Autologous fat grafting is commonly performed in reconstructive breast surgery as well as in aesthetic breast augmentation surgery. Nevertheless, little is known about the interaction between fat grafts and cancer. A 36-year-old patient had undergone bilateral breast augmentation with autologous fat grafting. Two months after surgery, she perceived two small palpable indurations in the right breast. Nine months after the procedure, the lumps grew bigger and lumpectomy was performed. Histologic examination of the specimens showed mucinous carcinoma of the breast. This case raises once again the question about the possible links between breast cancer and fat grafts. The level of evidence is level V.

NO LEVEL ASSIGNED

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

A Prospective and Controlled Clinical Trial on Stromal Vascular Fraction Enriched Fat Grafts in Secondary Breast Reconstruction

Background. Fat grafting is a tremendous tool in secondary breast reconstruction. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) enriched fat grafts have been presenting promising results regarding volume maintenance. Methods. We developed a method that produces a superior SVF enrichment rate (2 : 1) in the operating theatre. This prospective and controlled trial analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively fat grafts with (stem cells group, SG) and without (control group, CG) SVF enrichment in secondary breast reconstruction, through MRI-based volumetry, immunophenotyping, and cell counting. Also, patient satisfaction, aesthetic outcomes, and complications were analyzed. Results. Volumetric persistence in the SG was 78,9% and 51,4% in the CG; however it did not reach statistical significant difference. CD90 was the only marker highly expressed in the SG and showed a positive correlation with volumetric persistence (r = 0.651, p = 0.03). Fat necrosis occurred in 4 patients in the SG and in none in the CG. Patients in the CG showed a trend to be more satisfied. Considering aesthetics, both groups presented improvements. No locoregional recurrences were observed. Conclusions. Results are encouraging despite the fact that SVF enrichment in a higher supplementation rate did not improve, with statistical significance, fat graft volumetric persistence. Enriched fat grafts have proven to be safe in a 3-year follow-up.

[Lipofilling and breast cancer: Literature review in 2015?]

INTRODUCTION

The clinical surveillance of a patient treated for breast cancer involves many specialists: a surgeon, an oncologist, a radiotherapist, a gynecologist, and a general practitioner. The patients diagnosed with breast cancer will require regular clinical examination in order to identify possible recurrences. In our team, fat grafting has been used since 1998 for breast reconstruction because its results are natural breasts. Usually used as an adjuvant for flap or implant breast reconstruction, the lipofilling increases the aesthetic result and has a high satisfaction rate among patients. Despite of this advantage, some teams do not use lipofilling in patients with breast cancer history, because of doubts about oncology safety and screening difficulty. We performed an extensive review of the literature available regarding this subject. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the oncology safety of lipofilling in breast reconstruction after breast cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A literature review was undertaken using PubMed. The key words searched were: breast lipofilling, breast reconstruction, breast cancer, and recurrence.

RESULTS

The results of the literature review showed a reduced number of articles reporting recurrence after lipofilling. The retrospective studies included few patients and searched for multiple variables: histological type, stage, surgery, marginal invasion, distance between cancer surgery and lipofilling. In our research, we found no correct control group, except the series of Petit. The follow-up is relatively short (between 1 and 3years), except for the series of Rigotti. The recurrence cases after lipofilling in patients with extensive in situ carcinoma, in the series of Petit, raised the problem to be cautious with lipofilling after extensive in situ carcinoma. Other factors involved are the age of the patient and the distance between the cancer surgery and the lipofilling.

CONCLUSION

Breast cancer is a disease that is well managed regarding treatment and follow-up. After reviewing the available literature, we consider that the lipofilling does not have a negative impact on the recurrence of breast cancer. There are however several precautions that must be taken into account in the sequelae of the conservative treatment (image exam before and after surgery, 3years delay of the procedure after the oncology treatment) and in the extensive in situ carcinoma. For this particular case of breast reconstruction using lipofilling, a multidisciplinary discussion of the reconstruction options might be a reasonable approach. It is important that the patients treated for breast cancer continue a clinical and imaging exam regardless of the breast reconstruction method, in order to identify a possible relapse as early as possible.

Obesity, proinflammatory mediators, adipose tissue progenitors, and breast cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is emerging evidence that obesity is associated with an increase in the incidence, severity, and mortality from different types of cancer, including postmenopausal breast cancer. Here, we discuss the role of white adipose tissue (WAT) cells and of related soluble factors in the local and metastatic growth of this neoplastic disease. Moreover, we discuss the recent increase in the use of WAT-derived progenitor cells in breast cancer patients to enhance the quality of breast reconstruction and the related risks.

RECENT FINDINGS

In several murine models, WAT cells and progenitors were found to have cooperative roles in promoting local breast cancer. Moreover, they were found to contribute to adipocytes and pericytes supporting the cancer vasculature, and stimulated the metastatic progression of breast cancer. There are some clinically retrospective data showing a significant increase in the frequency of intraepithelial neoplasia in patients who received a lipofilling procedure for breast reconstruction compared with controls.

SUMMARY

Preclinical models and clinical studies are urgently needed to investigate how to inhibit the tumor-promoting activity of WAT cells and progenitors. The risks associated with the use of WAT cells for breast reconstructions should be better investigated retrospectively and prospectively.

The role of adipose-derived stem cells in breast cancer progression and metastasis

Conventional breast cancer extirpation involves resection of parts of or the whole gland, resulting in asymmetry and disfiguration. Given the unsatisfactory aesthetic outcomes, patients often desire postmastectomy reconstructive procedures. Autologous fat grafting has been proposed for reconstructive purposes for decades to restore form and anatomy after mastectomy. Fat has the inherent advantage of being autologous tissue and the most natural-appearing filler, but given its inconsistent engraftment and retention rates, it lacks reliability. Implementation of autologous fat grafts with cellular adjuncts, such as multipotent adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), has shown promising results. However, it is pertinent and critical to question whether these cells could promote any residual tumor cells to proliferate, differentiate, or metastasize or even induce de novo carcinogenesis. Thus far, preclinical and clinical study findings are discordant. A trend towards potential promotion of both breast cancer growth and invasion by ADSCs found in basic science studies was indeed not confirmed in clinical trials. Whether experimental findings eventually correlate with or will be predictive of clinical outcomes remains unclear. Herein, we aimed to concisely review current experimental findings on the interaction of mesenchymal stem cells and breast cancer, mainly focusing on ADSCs as a promising tool for regenerative medicine, and discuss the implications in clinical translation.

Update on imaging of the postsurgical breast

Oncologic, reconstructive, and cosmetic breast surgery has evolved in the last 20 years. Familiarity with cutting-edge surgical techniques and their imaging characteristics is essential for radiologic interpretation and may help avert false-positive imaging findings. Novel surgical techniques include skin- and nipple-sparing mastectomies, autologous free flaps, autologous fat grafting, and nipple-areola-complex breast reconstruction. These techniques are illustrated and compared with conventional surgical techniques, including modified radical mastectomy and autologous pedicled flaps. The role of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in surgical planning, evaluation for complications, and postsurgical cancer detection is described. Breast reconstruction and augmentation using silicone gel-filled implants is discussed in light of the Food and Drug Administration's recommendation for MR imaging screening for "silent" implant rupture 3 years after implantation and every 2 years thereafter. Recent developments in skin incision techniques for reduction mammoplasty are presented. The effects of postsurgical changes on the detection of breast cancer are discussed by type of surgery.

Adipose-derived stem cells in radiotherapy injury: a new frontier

Radiotherapy is increasingly used to treat numerous human malignancies. In addition to the beneficial anti-cancer effects, there are a series of undesirable effects on normal host tissues surrounding the target tumor. While the early effects of radiotherapy (desquamation, erythema, and hair loss) typically resolve, the chronic effects persist as unpredictable and often troublesome sequelae of cancer treatment, long after oncological treatment has been completed. Plastic surgeons are often called upon to treat the problems subsequently arising in irradiated tissues, such as recurrent infection, impaired healing, fibrosis, contracture, and/or lymphedema. Recently, it was anecdotally noted - then validated in more robust animal and human studies - that fat grafting can ameliorate some of these chronic tissue effects. Despite the widespread usage of fat grafting, the mechanism of its action remains poorly understood. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of: (i) mechanisms of chronic radiation injury and its clinical manifestations; (ii) biological properties of fat grafts and their key constituent, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs); and (iii) the role of ADSCs in radiotherapy-induced soft-tissue injury.

Stem cells from adipose tissue and breast cancer: hype, risks and hope

Several recent papers have generated new hope about the use of white adipose tissue (WAT)-derived progenitor cells for soft tissue reconstruction in a variety of diseases including breast cancer (BC), a procedure that is increasingly used worldwide. We revised the available literature about WAT cells and BC. In the BC field, we believe that the hype for the exciting results in terms of WAT progenitor cell engraftment and tissue augmentation should be tempered when considering the recent and abundant preclinical studies, indicating that WAT progenitors may promote BC growth and metastasis. White adipose tissue progenitors can contribute to tumour vessels, pericytes and adipocytes, and were found to stimulate local and metastatic BC progression in several murine models. Moreover, there are clinical retrospective data showing a significant increase in the local recurrence frequency in patients with intraepithelial neoplasia who received a lipofilling procedure for breast reconstruction compared with controls. Retrospective and prospective clinical trials are warranted to investigate in depth the safety of this procedure in BC. Preclinical models should be used to find mechanisms able to inhibit the tumour-promoting activity of WAT progenitors while sparing their tissue reconstruction potential.

Digital breast tomosynthesis findings after surgical lipomodeling in a breast cancer survivor

Autologous fat grafting or lipomodeling is a newly-adopted technique that is gaining increasing popularity in the treatment of contour deformities following breast conservation therapy. Here, we describe the case of a 47-year-old woman with a prior history of breast cancer treated with a lumpectomy and radiation therapy. She underwent lipomodeling not only of her treated breast but also of the contralateral breast. She presented for her annual mammogram which was performed with digital breast tomosynthesis. On imaging, a space-occupying lesion of mixed density was seen, expanding the lumpectomy site. There was also subtle distortion in the contralateral, non-treated breast. This case aims to highlight the mammographic and tomosynthesis findings seen following lipomodeling that may present diagnostic challenges in this patient population.

Fat grafting and stem cell enhanced fat grafting to the breast under oncological aspects--recommendations for patient selection

Reconstructive and aesthetic fat grafting has been introduced to the breast level over the last years. The safety of such procedures has so far not been completely clarified. The concept has now been refined to stem cell enhanced fat grafting. However beside the promise of using adult stem cells in terms of tissue rejuvenation and augmentation, scar treatment and reconstruction, the variance of adipose stem cell function--including angiogenetic, antiapoptotic, immunomodulatory, chemotactic and anti-scarring potential--raises new scepsis about oncological safety. Herein we reviewed experimental and clinical data on fat grafting and stem cell enhanced fat grafting addressing surgical promise and oncological concerns. Based on these data we suggest clinical criteria for patient selection undergoing fat grafting for aesthetic or reconstructive reasons based on their individual breast cancer risk.