IMMEDIATE BREAST RECONSTRUCTION IN PATIENTS WITH LOCALLY ADVANCED DISEASE

Immediate breast reconstruction for patients with early-stage disease is well established. This study evaluates a consecutive series of 22 p atients with locally advanced disease (stage IIB or III) who underwent mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction, All patients received several cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (average, 3.5 cycles) foll owed by completion of chemotherapy beginning approximately 3 weeks fol lowing surgery. The perioperative morbidity was 14% and no patient suf fered a delay in the resumption of chemotherapy, Patients have been pa rticularly grateful about being offered reconstruction in this setting , Our preliminary results with this technique have been encouraging an d further study is warranted.