Oncologic Outcomes After Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy

Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is increasingly used as an alternative to traditional mastectomy because it provides improved aesthetic results. The data on its oncologic safety are limited. The authors' institution has performed NSM during the past 10 years for both oncologic and prophylactic indications. This study aimed to examine oncologic outcomes after NSM for breast cancer.

The study retrospectively examined all NSM cases managed between July 2007 and July 2013. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study cohort. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate recurrence-free survival, specifically the 36-month recurrence-free survival proportion.

A total of 721 nipple-sparing mastectomies were performed for 413 patients: 45 (10.9 %) to reduce risk and 368 (89.1 %) for breast cancer. In the breast cancer group, 29.8 % of the patients had ductal carcinoma in situ, and 70.2 % had invasive cancer. The mean follow-up time was 32 months (range 0.01-90.2 months). In the breast cancer group, the Kaplan-Meier 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was 93.6 % (95 % confidence interval, 89.9-96.0 %). Eight patients (2.2 %) had locoregional recurrences, including one in the nipple. Nine patients (2.4 %) had distant recurrence, and six patients (1.6 %) had a diagnosis of both local and distant recurrences.

The findings showed a locoregional recurrence rate of 2.2 %, with an overall recurrence rate of 6.3 % for patients undergoing NSM for the treatment of breast cancer. The majority of these recurrences were distant, with one recurrence at the nipple. These results are promising, but a longer follow-up evaluation of this cohort is necessary.