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Breast Shwannoma - Time to explore alternative management strategy?Schwannoma (SCH) is a benign peripheral nerve sheath neoplasm of Schwann cell origin. It can be observed anywhere whilst the breast is uncommon site. Preliminary investigations are not entirely diagnostic and surgical excision is often required to reach a conclusion. We conducted a retrospective review in two European Breast units to know more about this rare condition. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review and we question whether the surgical approach to management can be changed.
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Chyle Leak After Axillary Node Clearance in Breast Cancer Surgery-A Rare Complication and a Proposed Management Strategy from the British and Italian Experience.Background: Chyle leak after axillary surgery is a rare complication that lacks consensus and management guidelines. This study aimed to present the experiences of two centers in chyle leak management after axillary node clearance for breast cancer. Furthermore the authors provide a review of its pathophysiology and clinical diagnostic methods. They compare approaches for management of the axilla with those for other locations. Methods: A multicentre case series descriptive analysis of chyle leak after breast cancer axillary node clearance between 1 January 2013 and 31 May 2020 was performed. Results: The center in the United Kingdom and the center in Italy performed 655 and 4969 axillary node clearances, respectively. Four patients experienced chyle leaks. All the leaks had left-sided surgery (3 patients had level 3 clearances with mastectomy and implant-based breast reconstructions; 1 patient had level 2 clearance with therapeutic mammoplasty). All the leaks appeared within 3 days after surgery. Leak duration was between 11 and 29 days. The maximum daily output was 600 mL. All the leaks were treated conservatively with nutritional team support together with close drainage monitoring. The management strategy included a low-fat diet, a high-protein diet, total parenteral nutrition, and medium chain triglyceride supplements, as well as other elements. No negative effects on oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgery wound-healing and no delays in adjuvant treatment were observed. Conclusion: The incidence of chyle leak after breast cancer axillary node clearance was 0.07%. Early diagnosis and close monitoring together with conservative management involving nutritional team support can result in successful treatment of chyle leak without negative sequalae of breast cancer oncologic treatment.
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Pushing the boundaries of pedicled chest wall perforator flaps in oncoplastic breast surgeryAmong 145 chest wall perforator flaps (CWPFs) performed at City Hospital, Birmingham (September 2017-February 2022), 11 were for novel indications, four were for whole breast reconstructions, two were for implant salvage procedures, three were CWPFs with skin paddle to replace excised skin/nipple-areola complex, and two were for upper inner quadrant tumours. Tumour characteristics and post-operative complications were noted. Patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) were measured using a questionnaire adapted from the National Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Audit (NMBRA) study. Among 11 patients, nine (81.81%) did not develop any complications. Ten patients responded to PROMs (median follow-up of eight months). The PROMs assessment showed that all patients (100%) were satisfied with the post-operative breast appearance. Of the patients, 90% (9/10) felt the results of their surgery to be good, very good, or excellent. Of the patients, 70% (7/10) said that they have no/little persistent pain. None of the patients had difficulty carrying out normal activities. Thus, the applications of CWPFs could be extended for whole breast reconstruction, implant salvage procedures, where skin paddle is needed, and for upper inner quadrant tumours.
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Characterization of the immune microenvironment in inflammatory breast cancer using multiplex immunofluorescenceIntroduction: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive form of breast cancer with a poorly characterized immune microenvironment. Methods: We used a five-colour multiplex immunofluorescence panel, including CD68, CD4, CD8, CD20, and FOXP3 for immune microenvironment profiling in 93 treatment-naïve IBC samples. Results: Lower grade tumours were characterized by decreased CD4+ cells but increased accumulation of FOXP3+ cells. Increased CD20+ cells correlated with better response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and increased CD4+ cells infiltration correlated with better overall survival. Pairwise analysis revealed that both ER+ and triple-negative breast cancer were characterized by co-infiltration of CD20 + cells with CD68+ and CD4+ cells, whereas co-infiltration of CD8+ and CD68+ cells was only observed in HER2+ IBC. Co-infiltration of CD20+, CD8+, CD4+, and FOXP3+ cells, and co-existence of CD68+ with FOXP3+ cells correlated with better therapeutic responses, while resistant tumours were characterized by co-accumulation of CD4+, CD8+, FOXP3+, and CD68+ cells and co-expression of CD68+ and CD20+ cells. In a Cox regression model, response to therapy was the most significant factor associated with improved patient survival. Conclusion: Those results reveal a complex unique pattern of distribution of immune cell subtypes in IBC and provide an important basis for detailed characterization of molecular pathways that govern the formation of IBC immune landscape and potential for immunotherapy.
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ASO Visual Abstract: Chyle Leak After Axillary Node Clearance in Breast Cancer Surgery: A Rare Complication and a Proposed Management Strategy from the British and Italian Experience.The British and Italian experience in managing chyle leak, a rare complication after breast cancer axillary node clearance was analyzed. Early diagnosis with conservative management can treat chyle leak without compromising the outcome of oncoplastic and reconstructive breast cancer surgery and its adjuvant treatments.
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ASO Author Reflections: Chyle Leak after Axillary Node Clearance in Breast Cancer Surgery, a Successful Management Approach from Leading Centres.In breast cancer surgery, chyle leak is a rare complication with a reported incidence of less than 0.5%.1 This could constitute a dilemma to the breast surgeon, particularly when there is paucity in evidence-based management guidelines.2 Also, it is concerning when breast cancer surgery complications can result in significant delays in adjuvant treatment.
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Ambulatory surgery for partial breast reconstruction with pedicled chest wall perforator flaps.Traditionally, most complex oncoplastic breast surgeries (Level 2/3) are performed as in-patient procedures. Our study analyses the feasibility of ambulatory surgery for partial breast reconstruction with pedicled chest wall perforator flaps (CWPF) which remains an unexplored topic.
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Overview of Mucinous Cancers at City Hospital BirminghamMucinous Cancer also known as colloid cancer is a rare, special subtype of invasive breast cancer generally associated with a favourable prognosis. Historical names varied around gelatinous carcinoma, mucous carcinoma, and mucoid carcinoma. Most studies show that fewer than 5% of all invasive breast cancers have a mucinous component and only approximately 2% represent pure mucinous carcinoma. It carries an excellent prognosis with 10-year survival in excess of 80%. It is a disease of elderly patients, over 60 years of age, and usually occurs in postmenopausal women.
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Primary radiotherapy and deep inferior epigastric perforator flap reconstruction for patients with breast cancer (PRADA): a multicentre, prospective, non-randomised, feasibility study.Background: Radiotherapy before mastectomy and autologous free-flap breast reconstruction can avoid adverse radiation effects on healthy donor tissues and delays to adjuvant radiotherapy. However, evidence for this treatment sequence is sparse. We aimed to explore the feasibility of preoperative radiotherapy followed by skin-sparing mastectomy and deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction in patients with breast cancer requiring mastectomy. Methods: We conducted a prospective, non-randomised, feasibility study at two National Health Service trusts in the UK. Eligible patients were women aged older than 18 years with a laboratory diagnosis of primary breast cancer requiring mastectomy and post-mastectomy radiotherapy, who were suitable for DIEP flap reconstruction. Preoperative radiotherapy started 3-4 weeks after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and was delivered to the breast, plus regional nodes as required, at 40 Gy in 15 fractions (over 3 weeks) or 42·72 Gy in 16 fractions (over 3·2 weeks). Adverse skin radiation toxicity was assessed preoperatively using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity grading system. Skin-sparing mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction were planned for 2-6 weeks after completion of preoperative radiotherapy. The primary endpoint was the proportion of open breast wounds greater than 1 cm width requiring a dressing at 4 weeks after surgery, assessed in all participants. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02771938, and is closed to recruitment. Findings: Between Jan 25, 2016, and Dec 11, 2017, 33 patients were enrolled. At 4 weeks after surgery, four (12·1%, 95% CI 3·4-28·2) of 33 patients had an open breast wound greater than 1 cm. One (3%) patient had confluent moist desquamation (grade 3). There were no serious treatment-related adverse events and no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation: Preoperative radiotherapy followed by skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate DIEP flap reconstruction is feasible and technically safe, with rates of breast open wounds similar to those reported with post-mastectomy radiotherapy. A randomised trial comparing preoperative radiotherapy with post-mastectomy radiotherapy is required to precisely determine and compare surgical, oncological, and breast reconstruction outcomes, including quality of life.
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Malignant phyllodes tumor of the breast: a systematic review.Phyllodes tumors (PT) are fibroepithelial neoplasms of the breast showing a peculiar leaf-like appearance. They account for 0.3 to 1% of all primary breast tumors and 2.5% of all fibroepithelial breast tumors. PT are classified into benign, borderline and malignant based upon their stromal morphology with a distribution of 60%, 20%, and 20%, respectively. Malignant PT of the breast constitute an uncommon challenging group of fibroepithelial neoplasms. They have a relatively high tendency to recur, although distant metastasis is uncommon, and nearly exclusive to malignant PT. Adequate surgical resection remains the standard approach to achieve maximal local control. Giant malignant PT are rare and a pose a diagnostic dilemma for pathologists, especially when comprised of sarcomatous elements. This review highlights the morphological features of PT detected in cytology and histology specimens and discusses diagnostic pitfalls and differential diagnosis.