Radiation Induced Atypical Vascular Lesion in the Breast.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Atypical vascular lesion (AVL) became a separate WHO diagnosis in November 2019. Due to a possible risk of developing angiosarcoma, extensive surgery with excision of AVL has been recommended but the benefit from this is questionable. We investigated whether the change in WHO classification has led to an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with AVL, thereby leading to an increase in extensive surgery. METHOD: The Danish National Pathology Databank was used to identify patients diagnosed with AVL between June 1, 2010 to June 31, 2020. The rate of AVL diagnosed before and after change in WHO classification was compared. RESULTS: In total, 13 cases of AVL were identified, 3 cases diagnosed before changes in WHO classification corresponding to 0.025 cases per month, compared to 8 cases, 1.143 cases per month, after the change in WHO classification. This corresponded to a 45-fold increase (95%CI: 10.88-265,31) (P < .0001) in AVL diagnosis. The mean patient age at diagnosis was 67 years. Patients received treatment varying from yearly follow up to extensive surgery. Non developed angiosarcoma in the follow-up period of 22 months. CONCLUSION: The changes in WHO classification of AVL has led to a considerable increase in the number of patients diagnosed with the lesion. No standardized treatment exists for this rare condition, but extensive surgery is often recommended to this frail population despite the lack of evidence for prognostic benefit from the procedure. Prospective follow-up studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment strategy.

[Advanced locoregional chest wall recurrence of breast cancer].

Locoregional recurrence of breast cancer continues to be a significant clinical issue involving extensive examination programmes, modified oncologic therapy and advanced surgery. The latter includes tumour resection followed by reconstruction of the thoracic wall. The type of reconstruction depends on tumour location, depth, aetiology and whether the resection involves the stabilising osseous structures as summarised in this review. The treatment strategy is planned at multidisciplinary team conferences with the presence of relevant specialists to ensure evidence-based treatment of consistent quality.

Impact of genetic counseling on the uptake of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy among younger women with breast cancer.

Background: Preoperative genetic testing affects the surgical decision-making among women with breast cancer. To avoid breast-conserving surgery and to offer the possibility of mastectomy with immediate reconstruction in high-risk patients, genetic testing for pathogenic variants in BRCA1 or BRCA2 and a pedigree-based familial breast cancer risk assessment was offered to younger women with breast cancer in Denmark. We evaluated the impact of the risk stratification through genetic counseling on the uptake of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM).Material and methods: The prospective cohort study included all women with unilateral breast cancer before the age of 45 who participated in a genetic counseling program during their primary diagnostics in the Central Denmark Region (2013-2018). Each patient was followed from the time of the genetic test result to the end of follow-up to estimate the long-term uptake of CPM as a competing risk-adjusted cumulative incidence. We compared the uptake of CPM between the various genetic risk categories, ages of onset, and family histories in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model, reporting hazard ratios (HR) with two-sided 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results: 156 females, aged 21-44, learned their genetic test result within a median of 92 days [interquartile range (IQR): 75-114]. The maximal follow-up was 3.8 years (median 1.8; IQR: 0.49-2.5), after which 33% (95% CI: 24-42%) of the patients had undergone CPM. The uptake of CPM was inversely associated with the age of onset (HR 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86-0.98) and significantly higher among BRCA carriers (HR 2.9; 95% CI: 1.3-6.8) and patients from the high risk of breast cancer families (HR 5.6; 95% CI: 1.9-16) compared to the lower genetic risk categories.Conclusion: The risk stratification obtained through genetic counseling had a considerable impact on the surgical decision-making among younger women with breast cancer at long-term follow-up.

Indocyanine green guided mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction.

Today, breast cancer is treated, and breast reconstruction is performed in specialized centers. Integrated surgical, oncological and reconstructive treatment and care should characterize the comprehensive pathway. In this setting, the women being diagnosed with breast cancer or genetic disposition thereto, should be offered the highest standard of care and treatment. The prerequisite for a successful reconstruction as well as timely onset of adjuvant treatment is uneventful healing. In addition, this may also yield an aesthetically acceptable or even pleasing result. When performing a breast reconstruction or oncoplasty, adequate viability of the tissues left behind and/or added to partially or totally reconstruct the breast, is of utmost importance for a successful outcome. Therefore, tools to assess tissue perfusion are excellent and valuable instruments for the breast reconstructive surgeon. Indocyanine green-angiography (ICG-A) has been shown to be beneficial in delayed and immediate breast reconstruction. The absolute prerequisite for a successful immediate reconstruction is the nipple-sparing or subcutaneous mastectomy using a sufficient incision to spare the perfusion of the native skin. Upon completion of the mastectomy perfusion assessment is performed and the breast reconstructed, using implants or expanders with or without acellular dermal matrix or autologous flaps. The perfusion of the autologous flap may also be assessed using ICG-A. Depending on the assessment score, the mastectomy flaps or the autologous flap are subsequently revised, thereby increasing the probability of saving the patient post-operative revision and take-back to surgery and thus ensuring uneventful healing.

Sternotomy for substernal goiter: retrospective study of 52 operations.

PURPOSE: Surgical treatment of substernal goiter occasionally involves sternotomy. Classification and handling of these operations are widely discussed. We aimed to review surgical results after thyroid operations including median sternotomy. METHODS: A retrospective review of all thyroid operations performed in the department from 01.01.95 to 31.12.12. In 55 of 2065 thyroid operations (2.7 %), median sternotomy was performed. All hospital journals of the patients were collected and carefully reviewed. RESULTS: We included 52 of 55 identified patients. Pathologic examinations discovered malignant disease in 4 patients (8 %) and multinodular goiter in 48 patients (92 %). Mean operation time was 4 h and 5 min (n = 48). Mean estimated blood loss was 464 ml (n = 48). Blood transfusion was given in nine operations (17 %). Median duration of postoperative hospitalization was 7 days (range 4-27 days). Pulmonary complications occurred in 11 patients (21 %): six with pneumonia or atelectasis, three with pneumothorax, and two with pleural effusion. Three patients (6 %) had postoperative hypocalcaemia (permanent in two patients (4 %)). Three patients (6 %) had transient voice changes. Permanent vocal cord paresis was not observed in this series of patients. CONCLUSION: Thyroid operations with sternotomy are complicated procedures accompanied with considerable pulmonary complications. In spite of a large invasive procedure, the risk of hypoparathyroidism or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was not increased.

Thoracic paravertebral block for breast cancer surgery: a randomized double-blind study.

BACKGROUND: We examined in this randomized, double-blind study whether a multilevel paravertebral block performed before general anesthesia with propofol and a laryngeal mask enhances postoperative analgesia after breast cancer surgery. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients were randomized to receive paravertebral injections with either ropivacaine 0.5% (30 mL) or an equivalent amount of isotonic saline. Nine patients were excluded after randomization, thus 79 patients remained for evaluation (ropivacaine, n = 38; placebo, n = 41). Variables of efficacy were the amount of fentanyl delivered by the patient-controlled analgesia device in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), postoperative pain measured on a numeric rating scale at regular intervals from the day of surgery and until the second postoperative day. RESULTS: The median consumption of fentanyl in the PACU was less in the ropivacaine group compared with the placebo group (0 microg [range: 0-250 microg] versus 100 microg [range: 0-800 microg], P = 0.001). Also, fewer patients in the ropivacaine group reported pain > or =3 on the numbers rating scale in the PACU (13 vs 31, P < 0.0001). No statistical difference in pain scores or consumption of analgesics could be demonstrated after discharge from the PACU. CONCLUSIONS: A multilevel paravertebral block provides good analgesia for breast surgery, but the duration of analgesia is briefer than described in previous studies.