Oncoplastic surgery for breast carcinoma in South Africa – an audit of outcomes from a single breast unit

Abstract

Introduction: Oncoplastic breast surgery permits tumours traditionally requiring total mastectomy to be excised with acceptable oncological and aesthetic outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes following oncoplastic breast surgery in the breast unit at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban.
Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patient records. Patients who underwent oncoplastic breast surgery with curative intent from 2011 and 2012 were included in this study. Male patients, those with contraindications to breast conservation, and those with metastatic disease were excluded. Demographic and tumour-related data were collected and margin status, surgical site sepsis, recurrence and overall survival (OS) were recorded over a 5-year period starting from the date of presentation.
Results: Forty-five patients with 45 tumours were evaluated. The most prevalent tumour size at presentation was T2 (55.6%), and the most commonly performed procedure was a therapeutic mammoplasty. Twelve patients (27%) developed surgical site infection (SSI), eight of which were classified as deep SSI with wound breakdown. The resection margin was clear in 95.6%. Recurrence was noted in 8.9% of patients, with an OS of 91.1%.
Conclusion: Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) using oncoplastic techniques results in favourable oncological outcomes in patients treated in a resource-constrained setting.