Articles

Repeat breast-conserving therapy in breast cancer

BJMO - volume 18, issue 6, october

I. Kindts MD, PhD, A. Baten MD, B. Bussels MD, A. De Caluwé MD, L. Donnay MD, L. Goethals MD, PhD, M. Machiels MD, PhD, V. Remouchamps MD, PhD, L. Veldeman MD, PhD, C. Weltens MD, PhD, P. Poortmans MD, PhD

SUMMARY

Primary treatment of preference for a local or locoregional breast cancer is breast-conserving therapy (this is breast-conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy). When a breast cancer recurs, or in case of a second ipsilateral breast cancer, the optimal treatment strategy is less well defined than in the primary setting. Standard of care is salvage mastectomy. However, avoidance of mastectomy, if oncologically safe, has proven to be associated with improved patient satisfaction in terms of cosmetic outcome and quality of life apart from cost and resource implications for healthcare providers. With this manuscript, the Belgian Breast Group of the BeSTRO sets up some basic principles regarding repeat breast-conserving therapy awaiting international guidelines.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2024;18(6):235-238)

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