Survival in breast cancer patients with a delayed DIEP flap breast reconstruction after adjustment for socioeconomic status and comorbidity.

PURPOSE: Overall survival in breast cancer patients receiving a delayed deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction is better than in those without delayed breast reconstruction. This study aimed at determining the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) and comorbidity on these observations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This matched cohort study included all consecutive women undergoing a delayed DIEP flap reconstruction at Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden, between 1999 and 2013. Controls had not received any delayed breast reconstruction and were relapse-free after a corresponding follow-up interval. Matching was by year of and age at mastectomy, tumour stage and lymph node status. Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and socioeconomic data were obtained from national registers. Associations with breast cancer-specific (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) were investigated by Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: Women in the DIEP group (N = 254) more often continued education after primary school (88.6% versus 82.6%, P = 0.026), belonged to the high-income group (76.0% versus 63.1%, P < 0.001), were in a partnership (57.1% versus 55.7%, P = 0.024) and healthier (median CCI 1.00 (range 0-13) versus 2.00 (range 0-16), P = 0.021) than the control group (N = 729). After adjustment for tumour and treatment factors, SES and comorbidity, OS remained significantly better for the DIEP group than the control group (HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.44-3.55). CONCLUSION: Women with a delayed DIEP flap reconstruction are a subgroup of higher socioeconomic status and better health. Higher survival estimates for the DIEP group persisted after adjusting for those differences, suggesting the presence of further unmeasured covariates.

Risk of recurrence and death in patients with breast cancer after delayed deep inferior epigastric perforator flap reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Postmastectomy reconstruction using a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap is increasingly being performed in patients with breast cancer. The procedure induces extensive tissue trauma, and it has been hypothesized that the release of growth factors, angiogenic agonists and immunomodulating factors may reactivate dormant micrometastasis. The aim of the present study was to estimate the risk of breast cancer recurrence in patients undergoing DIEP flap reconstruction compared with that in patients treated with mastectomy alone. METHODS: Each patient who underwent delayed DIEP flap reconstruction at Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden, between 1999 and 2013, was compared with up to four controls with breast cancer who did not receive a DIEP flap. The control patients were selected using incidence density matching with respect to age, tumour and nodal status, neoadjuvant therapy and year of mastectomy. The primary endpoint was breast cancer-specific survival. Survival analysis was carried out using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: The analysis included 250 patients who had 254 DIEP flap reconstructions and 729 control patients. Median follow-up was 89 and 75 months respectively (P = 0·053). Breast cancer recurrence developed in 50 patients (19·7 per cent) in the DIEP group and 174 (23·9 per cent) in the control group (P = 0·171). The 5-year breast cancer-specific survival rate was 92·0 per cent for patients with a DIEP flap and 87·9 per cent in controls (P = 0·032). Corresponding values for 5-year overall survival were 91·6 and 84·7 per cent (P < 0·001). After adjustment for tumour and patient characteristics and treatment, patients without DIEP flap reconstruction had significantly lower overall but not breast cancer-specific survival. CONCLUSION: The present findings do not support the hypothesis that patients with breast cancer undergoing DIEP flap reconstruction have a higher rate of breast cancer recurrence than those who have mastectomy alone.

Surgical Training and Standardised Management Guidelines Improved the 30-Day Complication Rate After Abdominoplasty for Massive Weight Loss.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of patients need reconstructive surgery after massive weight loss. The hypothesis was that surgical experience together with standardised management guidelines significantly decreases early complication rates after abdominoplasty for massive weight loss. The primary aim was to assess the 30-day complication rate after abdominoplasty following increased surgical training and experience. The secondary aim was to assess whether optimised management guidelines have an impact on the complication rate and patient safety. METHODS: The outcome of 69 consecutive abdominoplasties operated by surgeons in 2011 (Group A) and 70 consecutive patients operated by plastic surgeons in 2010-2012 (Group B) was compared. Another Group of 70 consecutive patients operated by surgeons in 2013-2014 (Group C) was assessed since standardised guidelines for pre- and post-operative treatments and refinement of surgical technique had been introduced. The same surgeons participated in operations of Groups A and C. χ 2-test and Fisher's exact test were applied to dichotomous data. Logistic regression test and ANOVA were used. RESULTS: Group C had more comorbidities and was significantly older. 48 patients in Group A (70%), 31 in Group B (44%) and 13 patients in Group C (19%) had early complications. A significantly decreased rate of complications occurred with improved guidelines and surgical training and experience. (A vs. C p < 0.001 and A vs. B p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the rate of early complications after abdominoplasty for massive weight loss can be significantly reduced with improved surgical experience and standardised management guidelines. Registered at Clinical Trial.gov (ID: NCT02679391).