title: Outcome of full-thickness chest wall resection for isolated breast cancer recurrence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Local breast cancer recurrence is often viewed as an early sign of rapidly progressive metastatic disease for which chest wall resection (CWR) can provide no benefits. We retrospectively reviewed our experience with full-thickness CWR to determine whether long-term outcomes warranted this aggressive procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2001 and 2012, 33 women (mean age, 50.7 years; range, 33-72 years) underwent en-bloc CWR with curative intent. Mean disease-free interval from initial tumour resection was 90.5 months (range, 2-252 months). Resection included skin, muscle and an average of 2.7 ribs (range, 1-8 ribs) and was extended to the sternum (n = 21), subclavian vessels (n = 9), lung (n = 8), pericardium (n = 8), phrenic nerve (n = 2) or T1 nerve root (n = 1). Complete R0 resection was achieved in 31 (94%) patients. Chest wall reconstruction was performed in 28 patients, with polytetrafluoroethylene mesh (n = 17) or titanium ribs (n = 11). A musculocutaneous flap was used in 17 (52%) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative morbidity was 36%, with no deaths. Median follow-up was 33 months (range, 3-96 months). Median survival was 69 months and 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 100, 81 and 63%, respectively. Recurrence developed in 13 patients, including 12 with distant metastases. Disease-free survival rates were 77, 57 and 50% after 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. By univariate analysis, only resection extended to intrathoracic structures was associated with better survival (P = 0.033).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  En-bloc full-thickness CWR eventually extended to adjacent structures provides acceptable morbidity and excellent long-term survival and should be considered the treatment of choice in locally recurrent breast cancer.
authors: Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and Heart-Lung Transplantation, Hôpital Marie-Lannelongue, Le Plessis Robinson, France.
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Levy Faber
authors: Elie
authors: E
authors: Fadel
authors: Fréderic
authors: F
authors: Kolb
authors: Suzette
authors: S
authors: Delaloge
authors: Olaf
authors: O
authors: Mercier
authors: Sacha
authors: S
authors: Mussot
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Fabre
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Dartevelle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D013905:Thoracoplasty; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Breast cancer; Chest wall resection