Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40676422›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2025

Complication Rates are Low After Invasive Procedures on the Lactating Breast in Patients Treated for Breast Cancer During Pregnancy.

Jennifer H Chen, Carla L Warneke, Lavinia Middleton, Puneet Singh, Henry M Kuerer, Kelly K Hunt, Ashley L Martinez, Jennifer K Litton, Oluchi C Oke, Helen M Johnson

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Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jennifer H ChenDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Carla L WarnekeDepartment of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Lavinia MiddletonDepartment of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Puneet SinghDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Henry M KuererDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Kelly K HuntDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Ashley L MartinezDepartment of Nursing, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Jennifer K LittonDepartment of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Oluchi C OkeDepartment of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Helen M JohnsonDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. hmjohnson1@mdanderson.org.

Funding

Tumor Evolution and Metastasis ProgramP30CA016672 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI Fabien Delerue · 1985 to 2026
$290.8M
TRAINING OF ACADEMIC SURGICAL ONCOLOGISTST32CA009599 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI Ashley M Holder, Jennifer A. Wargo · 1988 to 2026
$13.2M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA016672NCI NIH HHS P30CA016672NCI NIH HHS T32 CA009599
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAnatomical and functional changes in the lactating breast may increase the risk of complications after surgical intervention. We examined postoperative complications in peripartum patients undergoing breast surgery. PATIENTS AND

methodsThis retrospective study included pregnant and postpartum patients undergoing oncologic breast surgery from 1989 to 2022. Primary outcome was 90-day complication rate. Patients > 20 weeks gestational age or postpartum were considered to have lactational breast changes. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed.

resultsOf 164 patients, most had high-grade (n = 104, 66.7%), ductal (141, 89.8%), clinical stage II-III (n = 143, 87.2%) invasive carcinoma, and 59.8% (n = 98) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The post-biopsy complication rate was 0.63% (1/160, seroma). At time of surgery, 63 patients (38.4%) were pregnant and 101 (61.6%) were postpartum; 122 (75.0%) had lactational breast changes. The complication rate after surgery (72% total mastectomy, 28% segmental mastectomy) was 12.2% (95% CI 7.6-18.2). Surgical site infection was the most common (n = 10, 6.1%), followed by fluid collections (n = 7, 4.9%; six seromas, one hematoma), and mastectomy flap necrosis (n = 2, 1.2%). No milk fistulae were observed. Postoperative complications were not associated with lactational breast changes in logistic regression models controlling for either extent of breast surgery or NAC receipt (p > 0.05).

conclusionsIn the largest reported cohort of peripartum patients undergoing breast surgery, the postoperative complication rate was low, irrespective of lactational breast changes, and similar to published rates for the general population. These results support timely surgical treatment of pregnant and postpartum patients per standard of care regardless of lactational status.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCarcinoma, Ductal, BreastLactationMastectomyPostoperative ComplicationsPregnancy Complications, NeoplasticAdultFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansNeoadjuvant TherapyPregnancyPrognosisRetrospective StudiesBreast cancerBreast surgeryLactationMilk fistulaPostoperative complicationsPostpartumPregnancy

Identifiers

PMID40676422

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.