Local Control of Breast Conservation Therapy versus Mastectomy in Multifocal or Multicentric Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Objective: Breast conservation therapy (BCT) for female patients with multifocal or multicentric (MF/MC) breast cancer remains controversial. The purpose of the present meta-analysis was to explore whether BCT was feasible for female patients with MF/MC breast cancer and to compare the results of treatment with those of female patients with unifocal breast cancer who underwent BCT and female patients with MF/MC breast cancer who underwent mastectomy. Methods: Online databases, including PubMed and Embase, were independently searched from inception to January 2018 and reviewed by two authors. The present meta-analysis compared local relapse (LR) of BCT versus mastectomy for patients with MF/MC breast cancer and LR of patients with unifocal breast cancer versus patients with MF/MC breast cancer who underwent BCT. Ten studies comprising 19,272 patients were included. Results: The cumulative incidence of LR was 5.6% (65/1,163) for MF/MC disease treated with BCT, 4.2% (750/17,656) for unifocal disease treated with BCT, and 2.0% (9/453) for MF/MC disease treated with mastectomy. Thus, the cumulative incidence of LR for MF/MC patients treated with BCT was significantly higher than for mastectomy (p < 0.001). However, the forest plot analysis showed no significant differences in LR between BCT and mastectomy procedures (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.49–3.00, p = 0.67, I² = 0%). Compared with the unifocal group treated with BCT, BCT for MF/MC breast cancer showed a significant difference in LR (OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.48–3.42, p = 0.0001, I² = 0%). Conclusion: The LR of BCT for patients with MF/MC breast cancer was higher than that of BCT for patients with unifocal breast cancer. However, no significant difference was found in the incidence of LR between the BCT group and the mastectomy group in patients with MF/MC breast cancer.