Benjamin D. Smith, MD, associate professor and research director of breast radiation oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, discusses complications with mastectomy versus lumpectomy for early breast cancer.

The risk of complications from mastectomy plus reconstruction was increased by two-fold compared with lumpectomy plus whole breast irradiation after adjustment for other treatment differences in both, says Smith. Compilations include wound breakdown, infection and fluid in the surgical cavity. Complications with implants or with the graph that is used to do the reconstruction can also occur and can be serious, says Smith.

Many women falsely assume that the risk of recurrence is higher with lumpectomy than mastectomy. Evidence does not suggest this to be true, says Smith.

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Benjamin D. Smith, MD,  associate professor and research director of breast radiation oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, discusses complications with mastectomy versus lumpectomy for early breast cancer.

Dr. Benjamin D. Smith on Mastectomy Versus Lumpectomy for Early Breast Cancer

Benjamin D. Smith, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses a clinical trial that compared whole-breast irradiation (WBI) to accelerated partial breast brachytherapy (APBI-brachy) for women that were diagnosed with incident-invasive breast cancer after lumpectomy.

The study looked at 130&thinsp;535 Medicare patients age 66 and older that were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 2000 and 2007. Compared to WBI the patients receiving APBI-brachy had a much higher incidence of mastectomy within 5 years of treatment, postoperative infections, breast pain, and fat necrosis.

Smith describes the trial as being novel and intriguing because of the unexpected illustration of outcomes demonstrated between the two therapies. A complex trade-off between the two therapies has been revealed and an appreciation of the differences will help clinicians and patients determine the best radiation treatment approach.

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Dr. Benjamin Smith from MD Anderson Cancer Center Discusses the Brachytherapy Breast Cancer Trial

Benjamin D. Smith, MD

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Dr. Benjamin D. Smith on Mastectomy Versus Lumpectomy for Early Breast Cancer

Dr. Smith on the Brachytherapy Breast Cancer Trial