We have read with interest the publication by Medina Fernández et al. about resection margins in conservative surgery for breast cancer. The paper is a synopsis of the problem posed in conservative breast surgery and the presence of positive margins in between 20 and 40% of surgical specimens that are removed. This confirms that our objective should be to achieve free resection margins and abse...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors that determine esthetic outcome after breast cancer conservative treatment, based on a consensual classification obtained with an international consensus panel. Photographs were taken from 120 women submitted to conservative unilateral breast cancer surgery (with or without axillary surgery) and radiotherapy. The images were sent to a panel of o...

PURPOSE To develop a patient self-completed questionnaire from the items of the Brief Core Set Questionnaire for Breast Cancer (BCSQ-BC) and to investigate the prevalence of specific dysfunctions throughout the course of cancer and treatments. METHODS From January 2010 to February 2011, 96 breast cancer patients were evaluated with BCSQ-BC developed for clinical application of International C...

In the attempt to optimise the balance between the risk of local recurrence and the cosmetic outcomes in breast surgery, new surgical procedures, so-called oncoplastic techniques, have been introduced in recent years. The term oncoplastic surgery refers to surgery on the basis of oncological principles during which the techniques of plastic surgery are used, mostly for reconstructive and cosmet...

Radiation-induced angiosarcomas (RIA) are rare tumours that can affect breast cancer patients following treatment with breast conservative surgery and radiotherapy. Their diagnosis is often delayed because of their benign appearance and the difficulty in differentiation from radiation-induced skin changes. We report here a case of RIA which occurred seven years after radiotherapy to highlight a...

BACKGROUND Breast conservative surgery (BCS) has been an established method for treatment of early breast cancer. The volume of the procedure varies from a wide local excision to partial mastectomy and ipsilateral axillary lymphadenectomy. The nipple and areola complex sparing, depends on their proximity to the tumour. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and or hormonal treatment play an integral role i...

PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of second breast-conserving surgery with reirradiation using perioperative high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for the treatment of local recurrence developing after previous breast-conserving therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between 1999 and 2007, twelve patients with isolated local recurrence initially treated for breast carcinoma with the...

Radiation induced angiosarcomas (RIA) can affect breast cancer patients who had radiotherapy following conservative breast surgery. They are very rare tumors and often their diagnosis is delayed due to their benign appearance and difficulty in differentiation from radiation induced skin changes. Therefore it is very important that clinicians are aware of their existence. We report here a case o...