Fw: Radiation therapy may affect implants used in breast surgery

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From: Ilena Rose <ilena@...>

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Date: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 4:58 PM

Subject: Radiation therapy may affect implants used in breast surgery

>http://www.4woman.org/nwhic/News/Aug00/22aug001.htm

>

>

>Radiation therapy may affect implants used in breast surgery

>

>By Penny Stern, MD

>

>NEW YORK, Aug 21 (Reuters Health) - The use of implants for immediate

>breast reconstruction after cancer surgery is a long-accepted practice.

>However, researchers in Belgium are now raising concerns about what

>happens to patients with implants who require postoperative radiation as

>additional therapy.

>

>Writing in a recent issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Drs. E.

>Vandeweyer and R. Deraemaecker of the Universite Libre de Bruxelles,

>describe their review of six such patients.

>

> " All of the patients who received irradiation demonstrated poor to fair

>results, " the authors note. Specifically, all the patients who received

>radiation therapy developed capsular contracture--a condition

>characterized by hardening of the implant.

>

>Capsular contracture can result in pain and disfigurement. As reported by

>Vendeweyer and Deraemaecker, " five of the implants were displaced, and

>breast symmetry was judged to be suboptimal in all patients who received

>radiation. "

>

>Based on their analysis of the medical literature and given the

>disappointing outcomes for these patients, the researchers conclude " that

>for good cosmetic results, immediate breast reconstruction using implants

>is not recommended for patients who require (additional) radiation

>therapy. "

>

>In an accompanying discussion, Dr. V. Leroy Young of Washington University

>School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, said he agrees " that tissue

>expanders or alloplastic implants should not be used for immediate breast

>reconstruction in patients likely to receive post-operative radiation

>therapy. " He suggests that " these patients are better served with an

>autologous tissue reconstruction. " In autologous reconstruction, women

>have reconstruction carried out using their own tissue as a method of

>forming the new breast. " Similarly, " he adds, " delayed reconstruction

>after radiation therapy to the chest wall is also best performed with

>autologous tissue. "

>

>SOURCE: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 106:56-58, 59-60.

>

>