The MRI as a valid help for oncoplastic surgery: esthetic and oncologic results analysis in a group of 489 patients

There is an increased expectation from breast cancer patients to retain their "normal breast appearance". To help to achieve this expectation, many radiologic exams have been created to get the exact extension and position of the tumor. MRI is effective to obtain correct information about neoplasms, especially those with shaded edges, like DCIS. MRI might change the surgical project, thus avoiding second operations for cancer relapses.

We have performed MRI to all the patients except those with big lesions or adypous breasts. We have chosen for reconstruction various oncoplastic techniques. We have had early complications in 98/489 (20%) cases.

As late complications, we have found scar retractions and minus areas in 20/489 cases (4.08%), while we have found asymmetries and bigger deformities in 34/489 cases (6.95%). We have not found any cancer relapse after one year, we have had 3 cases of relapse (0.6%) after five years of follow-up, after 5, 4 and 2 years. Our good oncologic and plastic results have to be attributed to many factors, among which stands out the MRI done in all the cases.

We think that an immediate breast reshaping following quadrantectomy is the best esthetic and psychologic option for breast cancer patients.