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Assessing cosmetic results after breast conserving surgery
Maria João Cardoso1, Helder Oliveira, Jaime Cardoso
1Breast Unit, Champalimaud Cancer Center, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal.
Journal of Surgical Oncology
|March 14, 2014
Summary
Breast cancer surgery has improved with breast-conserving treatment (BCT), offering similar survival to mastectomy but better cosmetic results. However, accurately measuring cosmetic outcomes remains a challenge, necessitating standardized evaluation methods.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Plastic Surgery
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- The principle of "less is more" in breast cancer surgery has led to breast-conserving treatment (BCT).
- BCT offers equivalent survival rates to mastectomy with improved cosmetic outcomes.
- Evaluating cosmetic outcomes in BCT has historically been subjective and lacked reproducibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolution of cosmetic outcome assessment in breast cancer surgery.
- To identify limitations in current subjective and objective evaluation methods.
- To explore future directions for standardized and reproducible cosmetic assessment in BCT.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical cosmetic evaluation techniques in breast cancer surgery.
- Analysis of limitations in subjective (expert/patient assessment) and objective methods.
- Consideration of emerging technologies like 3D imaging for volume assessment.
Main Results:
- Subjective cosmetic assessments lack reproducibility.
- Objective methods show better reproducibility but miss key features.
- 3D imaging offers promising volumetric data for cosmetic evaluation.
Conclusions:
- No single method is currently the standard of care for cosmetic outcome assessment in BCT.
- A universally accepted, reproducible, and comprehensive method is needed.
- Future methods should integrate objective data, potentially including 3D imaging, for improved cosmetic outcome evaluation and performance enhancement.
