Bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction as a treatment for breast cancer: Is it the cause of delays in adjuvant therapies?

Abstract

Background: Breast conserving surgery is already the standard treatment of breast cancer although mastectomy and radical techniques including reconstruction are currently increasing. These techniques, apparently more complex, can develop more complications and delay adjuvant therapies initiation, conditioning worst results of treatments, with higher rates of local and/or systemic recurrences or even survival rates.

Aim: Review whether bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction (MBRI) conditionate a delay in the initiation of adjuvant therapy (TA).

Materials and Method: A retrospective analysis of patients with MBRI as a cancer treatment. Main variable: Time to TA, was defined as the number of days between surgery and the first dose of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Other variables: patient data, type of intervention and complications. We analyzed the data by type of intervention and if they had been previously treated from another breast tumor.

Results: In all, 296 patients with MBRI were included, 171 with a Cancer de novo and 125 already treated that now have a relapsed neoplasia or a second primary (IPSI or contralateral). Overall complication rate was 21%. Complication rate did not differ between groups either or neither previous radiotherapy. The surgical technique associated with a higher rate of complications was the short Wise pattern, with no differences in the others. There was no delay greater than 90 days in the groups with radiotherapy or without, or according to the surgical technique. Conclusions: MBRI does not cause significant delays in the beginning of adjuvant therapies