Risk of recurrence after treatment of early breast cancer with skin-sparing mastectomy.
BACKGROUND
Skin-sparing mastectomy, combined with immediate breast reconstruction, has become increasingly popular. However, there are no published long-term data to support its oncologic safety. Our purpose was to evaluate the long-term oncologic risk of skin-sparing mastectomy.


METHODS
The records of all patients who had undergone treatment of T1 or T2 breast cancer by mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction, and who were followed for at least 5 years or developed recurrence of disease before that time were reviewed. Local and distant recurrence rates observed in patients treated by skin-sparing mastectomy were compared with those in patients treated by conventional, non-skin-sparing mastectomy.


RESULTS
A total of 104 patients were treated with skin-sparing mastectomies. In that group, 6.7% developed local recurrences, 12.5% developed distant metastases, 88.5% remained free of disease, and 7.7% died of their disease. Among the 27 patients who did not have skin-sparing mastectomies. 7.4% had local recurrences, 25.9% had distant metastases, 74.1% remained free of disease, and 18.5% died of disease. These recurrence rates are similar to those reported elsewhere after treatment with conventional mastectomy and without reconstruction.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that skin-sparing mastectomy does not significantly increase the risk of local or systemic disease recurrence in patients with early breast cancer.
Kroll
S S
SS
Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Schusterman
M A
MA
Tadjalli
H E
HE
Singletary
S E
SE
Ames
F C
FC
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors