Impact of preoperative versus postoperative chemotherapy on the extent and number of surgical procedures in patients treated in randomized clinical trials for breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of preoperative chemotherapy on the volume of tissue excised and the number of breast operations in patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy (BCT). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Preoperative chemotherapy is increasingly being used for breast cancer and increases rates of BCT. Its impact on the extent of surgery and the number of surgical procedures in BCT has never been fully defined. The extent of surgery in BCT directly affects cosmesis. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 509 consecutive patients with T1-T3, N0-N2 breast cancer who were treated in prospective randomized clinical trials of chemotherapy between 1998 and 2005. We analyzed the final surgical procedure (BCT or mastectomy), the number of operations, and, in patients who underwent BCT, re-excision rates, and the total volume of breast tissue excised [4Pi/3(width/2 x length/2 x height/2)]. RESULTS: A total of 241 patients underwent BCT, and 268 patients underwent mastectomy. Among BCT patients who had initial tumor size >2.0 cm, patients who received preoperative chemotherapy had significantly smaller volumes of breast tissue excised compared with patients who received postoperative chemotherapy (113 cm vs. 213 cm, P = 0.004). The re-excision rate and total number of breast operations did not significantly differ between the groups. Among BCT patients who had initial tumor size < or = 2 cm, preoperative chemotherapy had no impact on volume of breast tissue excised, re-excision rate, or number of breast operations (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients treated with BCT for larger breast tumors, patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy have less extensive resection, with no change in rates of re-excision.

The effect of ethnicity on immediate reconstruction rates after mastectomy for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Multiple factors may influence whether patients undergo immediate breast reconstruction along with mastectomy for breast cancer. The authors investigated whether ethnicity was an independent predictor of immediate breast reconstruction. METHODS: The authors identified 1004 patients who underwent mastectomy for breast cancer during the period 2001-2002. The rates of immediate reconstruction among different ethnicities were evaluated using the chi-square test. Logistic regression was used to adjust for covariates, including age and disease stage. Medical records were analyzed to identify factors that influenced each patient's decision for or against immediate breast reconstruction. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-six women (37.5%) underwent immediate breast reconstruction: This included 20.2% of African-American women, compared with 40.0% of white women, 42.0% of Hispanic women, 42.2% of Asian women, and 10.0% of Middle Eastern women (P < 0.001). The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for immediate reconstruction for African-Americans versus whites was 0.38 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.23-0.63; P < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, this disparity persisted, with an adjusted OR of 0.34 (95% CI, 0.18-0.62; P = 0.001). Asian women had lower rates of immediate reconstruction compared with white women (adjusted OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.24-1.04; P = 0.06). Hispanic women did not have immediate reconstruction rates that differed significantly from white women. Middle Eastern women had lower rates of immediate reconstruction compared with white women (adjusted OR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.02-0.38; P = 0.002), but they had a corresponding increase in the rate of delayed reconstruction. In a stepwise analysis of the decision pathway to immediate reconstruction, it was found that African-American women were less likely to be offered referrals for reconstruction, were less likely to accept offered referrals, were less likely to be offered reconstruction, and were less likely to elect reconstruction if it was offered. CONCLUSIONS: African-American women underwent immediate breast reconstruction at significantly lower rates compared with white women, Hispanic women, and Asian women. After adjusting for covariates, including age and disease stage, African-American women and Asian women had lower rates of reconstruction compared with white women. The factors that contribute to these differences warrant further study.