Breast reconstruction in conserving breast cancer surgery

Abstract

Breast conserving treatment (BCT) combined with radiotherapy have proved the test of time as a sound oncological operation regarding survival and local recurrence. Successful BCT is a balance between adequate surgery and maintaining the breast's appearance. Unsatisfactory outcome reaches 20-30% in standard techniques of BCT. Concepts described to widen the spectrum of BCT, have made an improvement of cosmetic outcome, and facilitated a liberal safety margin. Volume displacement techniques, such as glandular flap, mammoplasty, donut mastopexy, and batwing mastopexy proved useful in large breasts and volume replacement, such as latissimus dorsi flap and local flaps are of great advantage to replace defects in small and medium sized breasts. Some of these techniques are simple, but comprehensive knowledge and training are required for sophisticated ones. The objectives of this article are to shed light on different techniques adopted by surgeons to perform BCT in conjunction with various oncoplastic techniques and to discuss the factors that influence their applications to achieve best oncological and aesthetic outcome.