[Indications for reconstruction of the female breast after radical mastectomy]

After radical mastectomy in some cases reconstruction of the female breast can be established. The plastic can only be performed as a staged procedure (2 to 5 operations). The timing to start reconstruction has to be individualized with regard to he psychical situation of the woman concerned and the TNM grade of the tumour. In case of a T1N0M0-tumour the reconstruction can already be begun after one year, that means after finshing adjuvant anticancer-chemotherapy. Till today there exist no criteria that early reconstruction of the female breast by pedicded flap and silicone prosthesis will veil local recurrences or promote metastases.