Vertical Axillary Incision for Treatment of Breast Outer Quadrants Tumors

Abstract Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. There is continuous annual improvement of the overall survival of breast cancer patients, with 5- year overall survival estimates increasing from 84.6% to 90.9% over the previous two decades. The upper outer quadrant of the breast is the most frequent site for breast cancer occurrence. Aim of the Work Is to evaluate the aesthetic satisfaction and oncological outcome of patients with breast outer quadrant tumors using single vertical axillary incision. Patients and Methods This prospective cohort study was carried out on 30 Patients who were histopathologically diagnosed with breast cancer in the upper lateral quadrant of the breast less than 5m and are eligible for breast conserving surgery between 18 and 45 years old - conducted at the breast cancer unit at Ain Shams University Hospitals. Results This study analyzed patients who underwent surgery for breast cancer. Most patients had no family history or co-morbidities. The mean age of patients was 38.8, with 86.7% having invasive ductal carcinoma. There was a moderate correlation between blood loss and drainage days. Patient and surgeon satisfaction with cosmetic outcome, recurrence, and other complaints was high, with 43.3%, 36.7%, and 20.0% rating the outcome as very good, excellent, and good, respectively. Conclusion The use of single vertical axillary incision in breast conserving surgery for upper lateral quadrant tumors was associated with high levels of patient and surgeon satisfaction with cosmetic outcome, recurrence, and other complaints. This technique can be a good option for eligible patients with breast cancer in the upper lateral quadrant of the breast less than 5cm. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are needed to validate these findings.