Radiotherapy and Breast Reconstruction: What Is the Ideal Timing? A Narrative Review.

INTRODUCTION

Women undergoing mastectomy choose to pursue breast reconstruction (BR) in order to reduce their body image distress.Adjuvant chest wall irradiation is associated with a negative cosmetic outcome. The aim of our review was to identify the optimal timing of BR relating to radiotherapy delivery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Springer, Wanfang and CNKI, we performed a non-systematic review of articles published up to August 2021.

RESULTS

There is no hard evidence in favor of immediate, delayed or 2-stage BR when post-mastectomy radiation is indicated. Immediate and 2-stage BR seem to be valid alternatives to delayed BR.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is essential in order to assess clinician and patient reported aesthetic outcomes and determine the optimal timing of BR in view of post-mastectomy radiotherapy, in breast cancer survivors.