Abstract:
Objective To investigate the oncological safety of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).
Methods Data from patients diagnosed with LABC and who underwent IBR between September 2001 and March 2016 at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were assessed. Prognostic factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional risk regression model.
Results A total of 114 patients were included. With a median follow-up of 50 months, the 5-year estimates of OS, LRFS, and DMFS were 78.9% (95% confidence interval CI: 69.1%–85.9%), 95.8% (95% CI: 89.2%–98.4%), and 78.9% (95% CI: 69.1%–86.0%), respectively. Tumors>5 cm in size were more likely to recur locally than those ≤ 5 cm (P=0.023). Cox multivariate modeling revealed that tumors>5 cm (hazard ratio HR =3.60 95% CI: 1.40–9.10; P=0.007) and lymph node (s) involvement (N3 stage) (HR=4.20 95% CI: 1.60–11.0; P=0.004) were independent risk factors for death.
Conclusions IBR was safe for patients with LABC; however, patients with tumors>5 cm or lymph node(s) involvement (N3 stage) should be treated with caution.