REVIEW  BREAST SURGERY 

Minerva Chirurgica 2018 June;73(3):322-8

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4733.18.07615-0

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Radiotherapy and breast reconstruction

Nicola ROCCO ^{1, 2} ✉, Giuseppe CATANUTO ^{2, 3}, Maurizio B. NAVA ^{2, 4}

¹ Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy; ² Group for REconstructive and Therapeutic Advancements (G.RE.T.A.), Milan, Naples, Catania, Italy; ³ School of Plastic Surgery, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; ⁴ Unit of Multidisciplinary Breast, Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania, Italy

Indications for post mastectomy radiotherapy are widening to a larger group of mastectomy patients and breast reconstruction rates following mastectomy are rising all over the world, this leading breast surgeons to face breast reconstruction in a growing number of patients who will undergo radiotherapy. Increased morbidity is associated with all forms of breast reconstruction in the setting of postmastectomy radiotherapy and in patients who previously underwent chest wall radiotherapy. Different attitudes towards breast reconstruction in the radiotherapy setting are presented in literature. The level of evidence and quality of studies investigating breast reconstruction in the setting of PMRT and in patients who previously underwent chest wall radiotherapy are low. The reconstructive option in the radiotherapy setting must be tailored on the single patient according with patients’ characteristics and wishes, always considering that the best reconstructive timing must be driven by the best oncological timing.

KEY WORDS: Mammaplasty - Radiotherapy - Breast implants