The Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Safety Outcomes Following Immediate Breast Reconstruction

Mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction (MIBR) are becoming an increasingly popular option for women with breast cancer. However, MIBR is associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications compared to mastectomy alone, which may delay adjuvant cancer therapy. The main objective of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate oncologic outcomes in MIBR patients with and without neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

A 6-year retrospective study of breast cancer patients treated with MIBR was conducted from January 2013 to May 2019. The primary outcome was a delay in adjuvant radiochemotherapy. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications and locoregional recurrences.

Of 1832 patients reviewed, 300 (7.1%) were included. The cohort consisted of 277 (92%) MIBR patients without NACT and 23 (7.7%) with NACT. There was significantly more N1 and N2 tumor node status in the non-NACT group compared to the NACT group (p<0.001). The overall complication rates were similar in the NACT group compared to non-NACT (37.5% versus 21.7%, p=0.148). The rates of major and minor complications were also similar between NACT and non-NACT groups (Major: 29.6% versus 21.7%, p=0.823) and (Minor: 26.7% versus 8.70%, p =0.0970). The rates of locoregional recurrence (p=1.00), time to adjuvant therapy (p=0.629), and rates of delay (p=0.305) was also similar between groups. Overall survival was significantly lower in the NACT group compared to non-NACT (98.2% versus 82.6%, p<0.001).

There was no difference in complication rates, or timing to adjuvant therapy, among MIBR patients with and without NACT. However, MIBR patients who received NACT had worse overall survival than MIBR patients without NACT.