Multi-center investigation of breast reconstruction after mastectomy from Chinese Society of Breast Surgery: A survey based on 31 tertiary hospitals (CSBrS-004)

Feng Xu; Chuqi Lei; Heng Cao; Jun Liu; Jie Li; Hongchuan Jiang; Chinese Society Of Breast Surgery

doi:10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2021.01.04

Multi-center investigation of breast reconstruction after mastectomy from Chinese Society of Breast Surgery: A survey based on 31 tertiary hospitals (CSBrS-004)

Chin J Cancer Res. 2021 Feb 28;33(1):33-41. doi: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2021.01.04.

Authors

Feng Xu¹, Chuqi Lei¹, Heng Cao¹, Jun Liu¹, Jie Li¹, Hongchuan Jiang¹, Chinese Society Of Breast Surgery¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.

PMID: 33707926
PMCID: PMC7941688
DOI: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2021.01.04

Abstract

Objective: Multi-center data on the current status and trends of breast reconstruction after mastectomy in China are lacking. Herein, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate the current clinical practice pattern of postmastectomy breast reconstruction among Chinese female patients with breast cancer.

Methods: A standardized questionnaire used to collect information on breast reconstruction among females diagnosed with breast cancer was distributed by 31 members of the Chinese Society of Breast Surgery between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Information was collected on tumor characteristics, treatment, mesh application, nipple-areola complex (NAC) preservation, postoperative complications, bilateral reconstruction, patient satisfaction and local recurrence. The overall rate of breast reconstruction was assessed, and the characteristics were compared across patient groups with different reconstruction approaches.

Results: A total of 1,554 patients underwent breast reconstruction after total mastectomy, with a reconstruction rate of 9.6%. Among them, 1,190 were implant-based, and 262 underwent autologous reconstructions, while 102 cases underwent a combination of both. Patients who underwent implant-based reconstruction were younger than those who received autologous reconstruction (40.1±4.6 vs. 45.0±5.9, P=0.004). Compared to patients with autologous reconstruction, mesh application (25.5% vs. 6.5%), NAC preservation (51.8% vs. 40.5%) and reconstruction failure (1.8% vs. 0) were more frequently reported among those with implant-based reconstruction. There was no significant difference in general satisfaction across three reconstruction approaches, though patients with autologous reconstruction reported the highest aesthetic satisfaction among the three groups (P=0.044).

Conclusions: Implant-based breast reconstruction remains the dominant choice among patients, while autologous reconstruction was associated with higher aesthetic satisfaction. Our multi-center investigation based on the findings of the tertiary hospitals of Chinese Society of Breast Surgery may guide a future series of clinical studies on breast reconstruction in China.

Keywords: Breast cancer; breast reconstruction; mastectomy; patient satisfaction; questionnaire survey.