How much does radiation therapy reduce risk of recurrence?

“Radiation does not appear to prolong survival. Even though it does significantly decrease the chance of the tumor coming back, after 10 years it was only a 10 percent recurrence rate without radiation. With radiation, it would reduce the recurrence rate to about 2 percent.”

How common is capsular contracture after radiation?

It has been reported that between 1.3% and 30% of the patients with implant have developed capsular contractures. Approximately 92 percent of contracture occur within the first 12 months after surgery. The longer the implants settle, the higher the risk of contracture occurring cumulatively.

Does radiation destroy breast tissue?

Changes to the breast tissue usually go away in 6 to 12 months, but it can take longer. External beam radiation therapy can also cause side effects later on: Some women may find that radiation therapy causes the breast to become smaller and firmer. Radiation may affect your options for breast reconstruction later on.

What can go wrong with breast reconstruction?

The possible risks of breast reconstruction include, but are not limited to, bleeding, infection, poor healing of incisions and anesthesia risks. You should also know that: Flap surgery includes the risk of partial or complete loss of the flap and a loss of sensation at both the donor and reconstruction site.

Does radiation cause capsular contracture?

We conclude that radiation therapy of prosthetic breast reconstruction does increase the rate of capsular contracture. Therefore, we counsel our implant reconstruction patients that the risk of capsular contracture is increased if subsequent radiation therapy is required.

How soon can you tell if you have capsular contracture?

Typically, patients who develop capsular contracture begin to notice the symptoms in the first several months – up to about two years – after surgery, though it can occur at any time.

What happens to your breast after radiation?

Radiotherapy to the breast or under the arm can cause hardening of the tissue. This is known as fibrosis. If the fibrosis is severe, the breast can become noticeably smaller as well as firmer. This is rare but may happen several months or years after radiotherapy has finished.

Why does breast reconstruction fail?

In about three-fourths of patients, the initial reconstruction failed due to scarring around the implant (capsular contracture) causing pain or deformity. Other patients had infections or other implant-related complications, or were dissatisfied with the appearance of the reconstructed breast.

What causes pain in a reconstructed breast?

It can happen after any type of breast surgery, including a lumpectomy (wide local excision), mastectomy, lymph node removal and breast reconstruction. The pain is usually caused by bruising, stretching or damage to nerves during surgery or when scar tissue forms.

Can you have breast reconstruction with radiation therapy?

Implant reconstruction in breast cancer patients treated with radiation therapy. Breast reconstruction: complication rate and tissue expander type. Oncologic safety of nipple skin-sparing or total skin-sparing mastectomies with immediate reconstruction.

How does radiation affect reconstruction results after mastectomy?

Many women who have mastectomy decide to have breast reconstruction — rebuilding the breast with tissue from your own body, called autologous reconstruction, or by using an implant. We know that radiation therapy given after reconstruction surgery can increase the risk of a scar tissue capsule forming around an implant, called capsular contraction.

Which is the best treatment for breast reconstruction?

The best option for a patient who has had or will have radiation is to have the radiation therapy completed first, followed by the final breast reconstruction later. This allows the radiation to properly treat the cancer but spares the reconstructed tissue of the harmful effects of the treatment.

What is the risk of Reoperation after breast reconstruction?

Nationally collected data available from the FDA for breast implants used in breast reconstruction reveals a 50% rate of unplanned reoperation in the first 5-7 years following breast reconstruction with tissue expander implants without radiation. The rates of these complications in unplanned operations are significantly higher with radiation.