Context
Surgical treatment of breast cancer was challenged over years. Breast conservation is as oncologically safe as mastectomy and gives better cosmetic and psychological outcomes.
Aim
The aim of our study was to evaluate the oncological and esthetic outcomes of the lazy lateral technique as a new approach for tumor located at the upper outer quadrant near anterior axillary fold.
Patients and methods
Between October 2012 and September 2014, 18 patients with early breast cancer at the upper outer quadrant and near the anterior axillary fold were surgically treated with the lazy lateral technique.
Results
The age of our patients ranged from 36 to 58 years (median: 47 years). Most of the patients in this study were diagnosed as having infiltrating ductal carcinoma (14 patients, 77.7%). The size of the tumor ranged from 0.9 to 3.8 cm. No involved margin on frozen section. Seroma was the most common postoperative complication and developed in two (11.1%) patients. The cosmetic outcome was excellent in 12 (66.6%) patients, good in five (27.7%) patients, and satisfactory in one (5.5%) patient. No local recurrence or systemic metastasis was noticed in our patients during a median follow-up period of 38 months (range: 27–49 months).
Conclusion
The lazy lateral technique is a novel approach for surgical treatment of upper outer quadrant breast cancer near the anterior axillary fold. It is an oncologically safe procedure and promotes satisfactory esthetic outcomes.