PRESERVATION OF AUGMENTED BREASTS IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST-CANCER

It is not uncommon for a patient who has previously undergone breast a ugmentation to be diagnosed with breast cancer. The options available to such a patient are a modified radical mastectomy and breast conserv ation treatment. If the patient chooses breast conservation treatment, the concerns that need to be addressed are whether the breast prosthe sis should be removed before irradiation and whether the presence of t he prosthesis would impair local control of the tumor or cosmetic resu lts. This article presents the feasibility of breast conservation trea tment without impairing the augmentation. Five patients underwent lump ectomy, perioperative placement of interstitial catheters in the tumor bed for immediate postoperative boost brachytherapy, and external bea m irradiation to the entire breast. Results of follow-up examinations for a median of 60 months revealed successful local control and satisf actory cosmetic results. No long-term effects of radiation therapy on the breast prostheses have been observed. Thus, it seems feasible to c onserve the breast and the augmentation with limited surgical resectio n and radiation therapy, including an immediate interstitial boost.