Time Interval Between Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Completion and Mastectomy is Not Associated with 30-Day Complication...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Oncology
• Breast Cancer Treatment

Background:

• The optimal timing for breast surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is not well-defined.
• Understanding the impact of time to surgery (TTS) on postoperative outcomes is crucial for treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between the interval between NAC and surgery (TTS) and 30-day postoperative complications in breast cancer patients.
• To determine if TTS influences short-term surgical outcomes following mastectomy.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 862 patients undergoing mastectomy post-NAC (2014-2024) at a single institution.
• Analysis of 30-day postoperative complications stratified by TTS using univariate and multivariable logistic regression.
• Key complications analyzed included hematoma, surgical site infection, and necrosis.

Main Results:

• The median TTS was 32 days, with 90% of patients having TTS between 20-62 days.
• Overall 30-day complication rate was 6.3% (54/862 patients).
• No significant association was found between TTS (≤32 days vs. >32 days) and 30-day surgical complications (aOR 1.30, p=0.35) after adjusting for confounders. Recurrence-free survival was also similar.

Conclusions:

• A TTS interval of 3 to 9 weeks following NAC is not linked to increased 30-day postoperative complications.
• These findings support flexibility in surgical scheduling within this timeframe.
• Safety of surgery significantly outside this 3-9 week window requires further investigation.