Background: Local recurrence rates after skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction are similar to recurrence rates after conventional mastectomy. We investigated the pattern of local recurrences and risk factors associated with them.
Methods: We identified 206 patients who underwent 210 skin-sparing mastectomies with immediate reconstruction from 1998 to 2006 in our database.
Results: Eleven patients had local recurrences (5.3%). Nine developed in the quadrant of the corresponding primary tumor. There were no significant differences between patients who recurred and those who did not with respect to tumor size/stage, margin status, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor/Her2neu status, lymph node metastases, or radiation therapy (P > .05). Patients with grade 3 invasive tumors or high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ were more likely to recur than patients with grade 1 or 2 invasive tumors or low- or intermediate-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (P = .0035). Those patients who recurred had a significantly decreased overall survival compared to patients who did not recur (P = .0006).
Conclusions: Skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction has a low local recurrence rate. Recurrences occur most commonly in the same quadrant as the primary tumor and treatment approaches include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Local recurrence portends a poorer overall survival.