title: [Cosmetic results after breast conserving carcinoma treatment in patients with intramammarian seromas].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There were 373 patients irradiated after breast conserving carcinoma treatment. A planning computed tomography revealed in 97 of these patients seromas and tissue defects exceeding 2cm in diameter. The cosmetic results in those patients and the impact of seromas herein had to be evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean age was 59 years. A quadrant resection was performed in 17.5 percent of the patients, a segmental resection in 27.8 percent and a tumour excision in 54.6 percent. Radiation therapy was applied with the Linear accelerator and 6 MeV photons up to a total dose in the residual breast of 50 Gy followed by a boost dose to the former tumour bed of 10 Gy. A distinct evaluation and documentation of therapy related side effects and the resulting cosmesis was done in 51 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all the examined seroma patients there were moderate acute skin reactions grade 1 to 3. As late effects in 82.3 percent scar indurations were noticed. At the skin 51 percent showed enhanced pigmentation, 68.6 percent atrophia and only 11 percent teleangiectasia. Subcutaneous fibrosis occurred in 56,9 percent of the patients, 78.4 percent of the women had breast asymmetries. In 41.2 percent there were a lymphedema subcutaneously, in 72.5 percent impaired sensibility. The overall cosmetic result documented with a 5 point score was "very good" (score 1) in 19.6 percent and "good" (score 2) in 33.3 percent, 37.3 percent were "satisfactory" (score 3) and 9.8 percent "bad" (score 4) respectively. No "very bad" results (score 5) were seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cosmetic results in the examined group of seroma and hematoma patients were inferior to those reported in the literature. We conclude that postoperative seroma and hematoma have an adverse effect on the resulting cosmesis and that their frequency and extent have to be reduced in future by the responsible surgeons.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Strahlentherapie (Radioonkologie), Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel Arnold-Heller-Strasse 9, D-24105 Kiel. schultze@onco.uni-kiel.de
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schultze
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lössl
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kimmig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011855:Radiodermatitis / Q000209:etiology*; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D049291:Seroma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed