Oncoplastic techniques: Attitudes and changing practice amongst breast and plastic surgeons in Great Britain

Purpose: The availability, acceptability and practice of oncoplastic surgery has increased over the last 5 years. This study aims to describe how the breast and plastic surgical workforce has adapted to provide oncoplastic breast surgery.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to members of the Association of Breast Surgery and BAPRAS, and results compared to a survey completed in 2010.

Results: In 2010, 228 respondents completed the survey compared to 237 in 2015, of whom 204 were consultants (105 General or Breast Surgeons and 99 Plastic Surgeons). The range of procedures performed by Plastic Surgeons has remained static, the General and Breast Surgeons are performing proportionally more therapeutic mammaplasty (p < 0.001), breast reduction/mastopexy, and latissimus dorsi reconstructions. In 2015, surgeons are less concerned about the risks of lipomodelling than in 2010, with an increase the proportion of breast (55% vs. 26%) and plastic (91% vs. 58%) surgeons performing the technique.

Discussion: Specific concerns about oncoplastic surgery have decreased over the last five years, with a greater proportion of surgeons performing oncoplastic surgery including lipomodelling. The majority of breast surgeons in 2015 remain interested in further training in oncoplastic techniques (75%) but over the last 5 years, plastic surgeons interest in further training in oncoplastic surgery has dropped from 62% to 27%. About half of all breast and plastic surgeons felt that oncoplastic surgery should be available for all women and oncological and wound healing concerns had significantly reduced between 2010 and 2015 (p < 0.05).