Effect of endoscopic surgery on quality of life and clinical prognosis of patients with early breast cancer compared with traditional modified radical surgery.

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors found in women. Plastic endoscopic surgery is a new surgical procedure that incorporates treatment for the tumor followed by breast reconstruction. The goal of this study was to compare the effectiveness of plastic endoscopic surgery vs. traditional procedures (modified radical surgery) regarding the quality of life and clinical prognosis for patients with early-stage breast cancer.

METHODS

Patients were divided into two groups depending on their surgical type. One group was the endoscopic group, which consisted of patients who had plastic endoscopic surgery (the patients with breast conservation needs included only tumors that were adequate for endoscopic surgery); the other was the traditional group, which consisted of patients who underwent traditional modified radical surgery (patients with no breast conservation needs, or were unsuitable for breast-conserving surgery due to a tumor or breast shape).

RESULTS

Among the 66 patients in the endoscopic group, 3 were lost to follow-up, while 2 out of the 52 participants were lost to follow-up in the traditional group. The operative time was longer in the endoscopic group versus the traditional group; however, intra-operative blood loss, duration of drainage, drainage volume, and length of incision were all significantly lower in the endoscopic group (P < 0.05). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in FACT-B scores across time between groups (P < 0.05). Pairwise comparisons indicated that FACT-B scores improved over time from measures taken before surgery to measures taken after surgery (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between groups regarding local recurrence, distant metastasis, or mortality at 1, 2, or 3 years on follow-up (P > 0.05). The endoscopic group had a significantly lower rate of short-term complications than the traditional group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic plastic surgery is a safe and effective treatment alternative for eligible patients seeking breast-conserving surgery, especially concerning improving perioperative outcomes and reducing short-term complications. However, as with any surgical approach, an individualized surgical approach must be made considering patient characteristics.