title: Usefulness of endoscopic breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the safety, invasiveness and cosmetic outcomes between endoscopic breast-conserving surgery (endoscopic group) and surgery under direct vision (direct vision group) for treating breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared 100 cases of endoscopic surgery with 150 cases of direct vision surgery. The safety was evaluated in terms of the blood loss, length of the operation and presence or absence of complications, whereas the degree of invasiveness was assessed using preoperative and postoperative leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts, interleukin (IL-6) levels and fever. The cosmetic outcome was assessed on the basis of a breast evaluation by the medical staff and the patient's subjective satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both groups, serious postoperative complications were absent. No significant differences were observed in the leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts, IL-6 level or fever between the groups. An evaluation of the cosmetic outcomes by the staff showed a more favorable breast size, breast shape and scar condition in the endoscopic group. A significantly higher level of patient satisfaction was also observed in the endoscopic group. Postoperative local recurrence was absent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The endoscopic approach showed comparable safety and invasiveness, and provided better postoperative cosmetic outcomes than direct vision surgery. Our results suggest that endoscopic breast-conserving surgery is a potentially useful surgical method for the treatment of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Breast Care Center, Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Teruhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Shino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Momoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akashi
authors.forename: Uhi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Toh
authors.forename: Nobutaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwakuma
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: Eisuke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fukuma
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirouzu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6