Nov 29, 2005

Lumpectomy Option For Patients With Breast Implants

In the past mastectomy was the only breast cancer surgery choice for women who have breast implants. Findings from a new study suggests that these women with breast implants may as well chose to have lumpectomy. This new study challenges a previous study, which concluded that mastectomy is the best option for such women with breast implants. These results were presented at the recent meeting of American Society for Therapeutic Radiology at Denver.

More women today are opting to have cosmetic breast implants. As women age, their risk of breast cancer increases, so a fraction of these women will eventually develop breast cancer. These are the patients who would be most interested in preserving their breasts and avoiding mastectomy.

Previous studies suggested that if women with breast implants receive radiation therapy, that may causes significant problems in the implant, resulting in poor cosmetic results. "Past research was based on a small sample of patients and older radiation techniques," said Rosalyn Morrell, M.D., lead author of this Mayo Clinic study. "Therefore, we investigated a larger group of women treated with radiation using newer techniques that refuted the reports of poor cosmetic outcome among patients."

Between 1994 and 2004, researchers reviewed the records of 26 breast cancer patients with previously augmented breasts who were treated with breast conservation surgery and radiation at the Mayo Clinic. Eighty-five percent of patients followed over a three-year period had favorable cosmetic results following radiation therapy. None of the patients in the study suffered a relapse of their cancer.


Sherin      Return to Breast Cancer Blog Main

Do You Read All Of Our Cancer Blogs?

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Breast cancer
Every year, more than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. Breast cancer ranks second as the leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. Until recently breast cancer topped the list of leading causes of cancer deaths in women, but lately lung cancer has claimed the top position. If skin cancer is excluded, breast cancer is the commonest cancer among American women.