Neoadjuvant Radio(chemo)therapy for Breast Cancer: An Old Concept Revisited.

Background: The international standard of care for the treatment of high-risk breast cancer (BC) consists of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and surgery followed by adjuvant whole breast/chest wall irradiation. In this setting, the time interval from the start of NACT to the end of radiotherapy (RT) is usually postponed to 6 months or longer. In addition to this, a high percentage of capsular fibrosis may occur when breast implants are irradiated.

Recent advances in radiotherapy of breast cancer.

Radiation therapy is an integral part of the multidisciplinary management of breast cancer. Regional lymph node irradiation in younger trials seems to provide superior target coverage as well as a reduction in long-term toxicity resulting in a small benefit in the overall survival rate. For partial breast irradiation there are now two large trials available which support the role of partial breast irradiation in low risk breast cancer patients.

Long-term quality of life after preoperative radiochemotherapy in patients with localized and locally advanced breast cancer.

Background: Preoperative radiotherapy (PRT) or radiochemotherapy (PRCT) is used in different tumor sites. The aim of the study was to examine the long-term quality of life (QoL) of localized / locally advanced breast cancer patients treated with PRT/PRCT followed by breast-conserving surgery (BCS) or mastectomy (ME).

Methods: Assessment of QoL was done using EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires for overall QoL and EORTC QLQ-BR23 for breast-specific QoL.

Long-term cosmetic outcome after preoperative radio-/chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer patients.

Background: Preoperative radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy (PRT/PCRT) represent an increasingly used clinical strategy in different tumor sites. We have previously reported on a PRT/PRCT protocol in patients with locally advanced non-inflammatory breast cancer (LABC) with promising clinical results. However, concerns regarding a possible unfavorable influence on cosmesis still exist.

Implant-based breast reconstruction using a titanium-coated polypropylene mesh (TiLOOP Bra): a multicenter study of 231 cases.

Background: An alternative to implant-based breast reconstruction using acellular dermal matrix is the use of a titanium-coated polypropylene mesh. The mesh was approved for implant-based breast reconstruction in Europe in 2008, but only limited clinical data are available.

Methods: Two hundred seven patients (231 breasts) with skin-sparing/nipple-sparing or modified radical mastectomy and immediate or delayed implant-based breast reconstruction using titanium-coated polypropylene mesh were evaluated retrospectively.

Skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with DIEP flap after breast-conserving therapy.

Background: Currently about 70% of women who suffer from breast cancer undergo breast-conserving therapy (BCT) without removing the entire breast. Thus, this surgical approach is the standard therapy for primary breast cancer. If corrections are necessary, the breast surgeon is faced with irritated skin and higher risks of complications in wound healing.

Contralateral breast cancer risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

Purpose: To estimate the risk for contralateral breast cancer in members of BRCA1- and BRCA2-positive families and to determine predictive risk factors.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective, multicenter, cohort study was performed from 1996 until 2008 and comprised 2,020 women with unilateral breast cancer (index patients, n = 978; relatives, n = 1.42) from 978 families who had a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.