Patient characteristics and treatment factors affecting cosmesis following lumpectomy and breast irradiation

Compared to a mastectomy, lumpectomy and breast irradiation provide an obvious cosmetic advantage. The majority of patients will have a good or excellent outcome with breast conservation therapy. However, poor or fair cosmetic results are reported in about 10% to 20% of patients. To evaluate factors influencing cosmetic outcome in women following lumpectomy and breast irradiation, all women (265) who presented for follow-up in a 6-month period after having previously been treated with postlumpectomy breast irradiation were thoroughly examined and assessed for cosmetic outcome factors including skin pigmentation changes, distortion of the breast, asymmetry, and differences in size between the two breasts. By multivariate analysis, skin pigmentation changes significantly correlated with axillary dissection (p = 0.0049) and black race (p = 0.001). An increased interval from surgery was associated with a decreased incidence of pigmentation changes (p = 0.0058). Smaller size of the treated breast was associated with a longer interval from surgery (p < 0.0001) and an increased separation between opposed tangential fields (P < 0.0001). One hundred twenty- eight women (48.3%) had an excellent cosmetic result (no skin changes or deformity and very slight, if any, difference in size). An additional 110 patients (41.5%) had a good result (no skin changes and just a noticeable difference in size between the two breasts or skin changes with no difference in size between the two breasts). An excellent or good cosmetic result versus a fair or poor result was associated with white race (p = 0.0056), smaller separation between the tangential fields (p = 0.01), the use of a boost (p = 0.0025), and no use of tamoxifen (p = 0.025).