The challenges of breast conservative surgery in multifocal breast cancer: The first insights from Iraq experience

Abstract

This article illuminates the changing landscape of managing multifocal (MF) breast cancer, specifically within the context of Iraq. Conventionally, MF breast cancer, characterized by multiple tumors within the same quadrant, has been deemed unsuitable for breast-conserving surgery (BCS) due to the perceived risk of local recurrence. However, data from our two centers in Baghdad may challenge this perspective. Of the 239 patients diagnosed with MF breast cancer in 2020, 73 underwent BCS, with only one local recurrence (1.37%), comparable to the recurrence rate in the mastectomy group (1.20%). Despite ongoing debates regarding MF breast cancer’s management and its association with higher local recurrence rates, our findings support emerging consensus on the effectiveness of BCS. Our experience from Iraq offers a unique perspective, suggesting equivalent local recurrence rates for BCS and mastectomy, necessitating a re-evaluation of surgical approaches and potentially endorsing less invasive treatments.