Re-Excision After Breast-Conserving Surgery

National practice guidelines should lower rates of unnecessary repeat surgery.

What constitutes an adequate resection margin for breast cancer has been an ongoing controversy. As a result, rates of repeat surgery to establish tumor-negative margins vary widely.

To determine re-excision rates in patients undergoing breast-conservation surgery (BCS) as well as factors that influence repeat surgery rates, investigators analyzed the records of 316,114 patients in the U.S. National Cancer Data Base who underwent BCS for early breast cancer (stage 0–II) from 2004 through 2010. Patients who underwent preoperative systemic therapy or prior diagnostic excisional biopsy were excluded.

A total of 23.6% of patients underwent at least one repeat surgery; of these patients, 62.1% received lumpectomy and 37.9% received eventual mastec…

Reviewing Author

Henry Mark Kuerer, MD, PhD, FACS

Disclosures

Speaker's BureauPhysicians’ Education Resource, LLC

RoyaltiesMcGraw-Hill Professional; UpToDate, Inc.

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Surgical Oncology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Breast Surgeons (Chair, Publications Committee)