Immediate Patient-Related Outcomes in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Novel Axillary Artery Cutaneous BrAnch...

The objective is to study the immediate patient-related outcome using the breast questionnaire (Breast Q) in breast cancer patients undergoing novel Axillary Artery Cutaneous BrAnch Perforator (AACAP) flap oncoplasty procedure. Patients diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma, treated with breast conservation surgery (BCS) and defect reconstruction with the novel AACAP-based oncoplasty procedure, were included in this study. After 3 months of completion of radiation, immediate patient-related outcomes (PROMs) were sought by asking them to respond to Breast Q version 2.0. All the patients who answered the Breast Q showed satisfactory responses in terms of cosmesis, symmetry of breasts, and overall sexual well-being. The median score for 'Psychosocial well-being' was 87/100, median for 'Physical well-being' was 71/100, median for 'Satisfaction with breasts' was 82/100 and median for 'Sexual well-being' was 74/100. This novel perforator-based partial breast reconstruction technique does give satisfactory results in terms of patient-related outcomes. To conclude, the novel AACAP-based oncoplasty procedure is a good technique in terms of feasibility and satisfactory cosmetic results for filling defects in the lateral quadrant of the breast in breast cancer patients undergoing breast conservation surgery. The use of the Breast Q questionnaire provided valuable insights into the immediate surgical outcomes, patient satisfaction, cosmesis, psychosocial well-being and physical and sexual well-being. The scores calculated in the various domains of the Breast Q for our oncoplasty procedure showed good results comparable to existing literature in terms of satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial well-being, physical well-being and sexual well-being.