J Breast Cancer
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Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, telehealth was rarely utilized for oncologic care in metropolitan areas. Our large New York City based outpatient breast/gynecologic cancer clinic administered an 18-question survey to patients from March to June 2020, to assess the perceptions of the utility of telehealth medicine. Of the 622 patients, 215 (35%) completed the survey, and of the 215 respondents, 74 (35%) had participated in a telehealth visit. ⋯ Sixty-eight patients (92%) reported that telehealth services saved them time, 54 (73%) reported telehealth increased access to care, and 58 (82%) reported telehealth improved their health. Overall, 67 (92%) of patients expressed satisfaction with the use of telehealth services for oncologic care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth services should be carefully adopted as an addition to in-person clinical care of patients with cancer.
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The use of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) has been debated because it may be a causative factor in adjuvant treatment delay and may subsequently increase the probability of recurrence. We investigated whether IBR was related to adjuvant treatment delay and survival outcomes. ⋯ IBR was associated with a modest increase in the duration from surgery to chemotherapy that was statistically but not clinically significant. Moreover, IBR had no influence on PMRT delay or survival outcomes, suggesting that it is an acceptable option for patients with non-metastatic breast cancer undergoing mastectomy.
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The use of oncoplastic reconstruction for breast-conserving surgery (BCS) extends benefits beyond merely minimizing poor cosmetic results. However, the feasibility and oncological safety of oncoplastic surgery (OPS) are controversial. ⋯ A combination of BCS and OPS is preferred over BCS alone for decreasing re-excisions and provides similar long-term survival as BCS alone in patients with breast cancer.
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Persistent pain is a common side effect of breast cancer treatment. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence, associated treatment-related factors, and the type of pain (neuropathic or nociceptive) in patients who had undergone a unilateral mastectomy. ⋯ Persistent pain after breast cancer treatment continues to have a high prevalence. Our results indicate that the largest proportion of patients experiencing persistent pain after breast cancer treatment do not have a clear neuropathic pain component.
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Retraction Of Publication
Retraction note to: "Clinical Significance of the Axillary Arch in Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy".
[This retracts the article on p. 244 in vol. 17, PMID: 25320622.].