Lumpectomy versus mastopexy--a post-surgery patient survey

Area of Science:

• Oncoplastic surgery
• Plastic surgery
• Breast surgery outcomes

Background:

• Subjective outcome evaluation is crucial in oncoplastic surgery for both breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and mastectomy patients.
• This study expands evaluation to compare mastopexy (MP) and BCS, particularly when MP offers simultaneous breast enhancement.
• Comparing outcomes is vital as MP may improve subjective results by combining tumor removal with aesthetic enhancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the subjective post-surgical outcomes of mastopexy (MP) and breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for single-locus tumor removal.
• To evaluate patient satisfaction regarding cosmetic results, scarring, and quality of life after MP and BCS.
• To determine if MP, when combined with tumor removal, offers a superior subjective outcome compared to standard BCS.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 143 patients undergoing either MP or BCS for single-locus tumors were evaluated.
• A questionnaire assessed post-surgical body image and satisfaction in 71 patients.
• Key outcome measures included overall satisfaction, cosmetic outcome, scar tissue, breast shape/size, swelling, nipple sensitivity, and quality of life.

Main Results:

• Overall patient satisfaction was high and comparable between BCS (87%) and MP (86%) groups (p=0.48).
• Significant differences were observed in scar tissue evaluation, with BCS patients reporting higher satisfaction (77% very satisfied) compared to MP patients (44% very satisfied) (p=0.013).
• No significant differences were found in overall cosmetic outcome, breast shape/size, post-surgical swelling, nipple sensitivity, or quality of life.

Conclusions:

• Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) generally leads to less scar tissue and shorter procedures, favoring BCS for patient preference.
• While overall satisfaction is similar, BCS shows superior patient evaluation of scar tissue compared to mastopexy (MP).
• MP can be a viable option when simultaneous breast enhancement is desired, with minimal impact on overall patient satisfaction.