gms | German Medical Science

Aim: Reconstructive and aesthetic operations are psrt of the treatment and rehabilitation of breast cancer patients. Especially reconstruction after mastectomy or contralateral augmentation in breast cancer patients is discussed in terms of necessity and safety. This study was conducted to evaluate the demand for this type of operations. Furthermore we wanted to characterize patients who decided to undergo these operations after the diagnosis of breast cancer

Material and methods: A questionnaire was handed out to 683 patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer more than 3 months ago. Mean follow-up after the primary treatment was 4,57 years. The response rate was 92% (n=626). 412 patients had a breast conserving surgery, 187 an unilateral mastectomy and 30 a bilateral mastectomy. The questionnaire consisted of 49 structured questions. The data was analysed statistically using the t test, the chi-square test and Analyses of variance.

Results: 14,7% of the mastectomized patients had a breast reconstruction within a median follow up of 3.3 years. Further 22,5% were potentially interested in a secondary reconstruction of the breast. Factors found to have a positive influence on the wish for reconstruction were younger age (p = 0.006) and a negative influence of the primary breast cancer surgery on the partnership (p=0,007). Concerning the oncological therapy women who received a chemotherapy were more likely to be interested in a plastic surgery of the breast (p=0,03).

Conclusions: Only very few mastectomized patients asked for a reconstructive operation. Younger age groups are more interested in a reconstruction than older ones. Furthermore partnership problems correlated with a higher demand for reconstructive or aesthetic surgery.