The British journal of surgery
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Women who undergo autologous breast reconstruction have been reported to have an increased risk of breast cancer recurrence compared with those who have mastectomy alone. It has been suggested that more extensive surgery possibly activates dormant micrometastases. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether delayed unilateral deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction after mastectomy increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence or affects mortality among women previously treated for breast cancer. ⋯ There is no increased risk in breast cancer recurrence after delayed DIEP flap reconstruction compared with mastectomy alone.
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Postmastectomy reconstruction using a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap is increasingly being performed in patients with breast cancer. The procedure induces extensive tissue trauma, and it has been hypothesized that the release of growth factors, angiogenic agonists and immunomodulating factors may reactivate dormant micrometastasis. The aim of the present study was to estimate the risk of breast cancer recurrence in patients undergoing DIEP flap reconstruction compared with that in patients treated with mastectomy alone. ⋯ The present findings do not support the hypothesis that patients with breast cancer undergoing DIEP flap reconstruction have a higher rate of breast cancer recurrence than those who have mastectomy alone.