title: The prognosis of breast cancer patients after mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An increasing number of patients with breast cancer are being offered immediate breast reconstruction (IBR). The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of IBR on the prognosis of patients with breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the electronic databases of Medline (Pubmed), ISI Web of Knowledge, Embase, and Google Scholar databases for studies reporting the overall recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) of patients after mastectomy only and mastectomy with IBR. With these data, we conducted a meta-analysis of the clinical outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen studies, including 3641 cases and 9462 controls, matched our criteria. Relevant information was extracted from these 14 studies. There was no significant heterogeneity (P for Q-statistic > 0.10 and I2 < 25%). Patients who underwent IBR showed no increased risk of overall recurrence of breast cancer (RR = 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75, 1.04; P = 0.14). Furthermore, patients receiving IBR had similar DFS (RR = 1.04; 95%CI: 0.99, 1.08); P = 0.10) and OS (RR = 1.02; 95%CI: 0.99, 1.05; P = 0.24)) as those of control patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This meta-analysis provides evidence that IBR does not have an adverse effect on prognosis. These data suggest that IBR is an appropriate and safe choice for patients with breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Ninth Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiaotong University school of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Ninth Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiaotong University school of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
authors.forename: Chenfang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Ninth Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiaotong University school of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty; D008408:Mastectomy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis