title: "V"-technique as a method of breast conserving surgery in multifocal and T2 invasive breast cancers situated in the upper outer quadrant.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the oncologic and cosmetic outcomes in women with multifocal breast cancers or T2 tumours with diameters larger than 3 cm situated in the upper outer quadrant who were treated with "V"-technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 1999 till June 2003, 44 conserving surgeries with "V"-technique using a local rotational flap were performed. Localization of tumours was in the upper outer quadrant. All solid tumours were larger than 3 cm in diameter In all patients, axillary lymph node dissection was performed. All the patients received postoperative radiotherapy. Mean follow-up was 58 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 44 conserving surgeries with "V"-technique, an adequate distance of tumour from the margins was obtained in 84.1% (37/44). Out of 37 patients who underwent conserving surgery with this technique, the cosmetic result was favourable in 83.78% (31/37). None of these patients had a corrective surgery such as reduction mammaplasty or mastopexy. Mean weight of excised tissue was 215 g. The 5-year local recurrence rate was 10.8%. The 5-year metastasis-free survival rate was 81.1%. The 5-year overall survival rate was 86.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical treatment of multifocal and T2 breast cancers larger than 3 cm in diameter situated in the upper outer quadrant and performed with "V"-technique gives a good aesthetic result and enables a wide resection of breast tissue around the tumour
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Surgical Clinic, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, University of Rijeka, School of Medicine, Kresimirova 42, Rijeka, Croatia, Europe.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lovasic
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mustac
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Belac-Lovasic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uravic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petkovic
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radetic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla / Q000601:surgery; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden