The Evolution of Mastectomy Surgical Technique: from Mutilation to Medicine

Overview

Journal Gland Surg

Publisher AME Publishing Company

Specialty Endocrinology

Date 2018 Jul 13

PMID 29998080

Citations 22

Authors

Matthew D Freeman

Jared M Gopman

C Andrew Salzberg

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Breast surgeries for cancer and tumors were first described approximately 3,000 years ago, and since that time the standard of management has changed dramatically. From Egyptian papyri to Hippocratic theory, from Galen's dissections to Halsted's radical mastectomy, and from sentinel lymph node mapping to the development of nipple-sparing mastectomies, this review starts at the beginning and highlights breakthroughs and innovation in technique and medicine that have fundamentally changed the way breast cancer is managed. The progression depicted in this review acts as a proxy to the management of other complex diseases. Breast cancer was initially managed with operative extirpation alone, but now requires a multidisciplinary team across various surgical, medical, psychological, and social specialties in order to produce the best outcomes for our patients.

Citing Articles

Using Virtual Reality Pablo Gaming in the Post-Operative Rehabilitation of Breast Cancer Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abdelmoniem Ibrahim A, Aly S, Youssef A, Ragab M, Hussein H J Clin Med. 2025; 13(24.

PMID: 39768532 PMC: 11677354. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13247609.

Size Does Matter: Mastectomy Flap Thickness as an Independent Decisional Factor for the Peri-Prosthetic Device Choice in Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction.

Kaciulyte J, Sordi S, Luridiana G, Marcasciano M, Lo Torto F, Cavalieri E J Clin Med. 2024; 13(23).

PMID: 39685918 PMC: 11642221. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13237459.

Treatment Classification by Intent in Oncology-The Need for Meaningful Definitions: Curative, Palliative and Potentially Life-Prolonging.

Fekete Z, Fekete A, Kacso G J Pers Med. 2024; 14(9).

PMID: 39338185 PMC: 11433215. DOI: 10.3390/jpm14090932.

Does the use of Acellular Dermal Matrices (ADM) in women undergoing pre-pectoral implant-based breast reconstruction increase operative success versus non-use of ADM in the same setting? A systematic review.

Cook H, Glynou S, Sousi S, Zargaran D, Hamilton S, Mosahebi A BMC Cancer. 2024; 24(1):1186.

PMID: 39333948 PMC: 11437634. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12978-0.

Does the use of acellular dermal matrices (ADM) in women undergoing pre-pectoral implant-based breast reconstruction increase operative success versus non-use of ADM in the same setting? A systematic review protocol.

Cook H, Zargaran D, Glynou S, Hamilton S, Mosahebi A Syst Rev. 2024; 13(1):153.

PMID: 38849880 PMC: 11157835. DOI: 10.1186/s13643-024-02564-7.

References

Rossi C, Mingozzi M, Curcio A, Buggi F, Folli S . Nipple areola complex sparing mastectomy. Gland Surg. 2015; 4(6):528-40. PMC: 4647000. DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2227-684X.2015.04.12. View

Iavazzo C, Trompoukis C, Siempos I, Falagas M . The breast: from Ancient Greek myths to Hippocrates and Galen. Reprod Biomed Online. 2009; 19 Suppl 2:51-4. DOI: 10.1016/s1472-6483(10)60277-5. View

Cotlar A, Dubose J, Rose D . History of surgery for breast cancer: radical to the sublime. Curr Surg. 2004; 60(3):329-37. DOI: 10.1016/S0149-7944(02)00777-8. View

Piper M, Peled A, Sbitany H . Oncoplastic breast surgery: current strategies. Gland Surg. 2015; 4(2):154-63. PMC: 4409678. DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2227-684X.2015.03.01. View

Moore C . On the Influence of Inadequate Operations on the Theory of Cancer. Med Chir Trans. 2010; 50:245-80. PMC: 2147931. DOI: 10.1177/095952876705000114. View

Izuo M . Medical history: Seishu Hanaoka and his success in breast cancer surgery under general anesthesia two hundred years ago. Breast Cancer. 2004; 11(4):319-24. DOI: 10.1007/BF02968037. View

Halsted W . I. A Clinical and Histological Study of certain Adenocarcinomata of the Breast: and a Brief Consideration of the Supraclavicular Operation and of the Results of Operations for Cancer of the Breast from 1889 to 1898 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Ann Surg. 1898; 28(5):557-76. PMC: 1427166. View

Donaldson I . Celsus: De medicina, Florence 1478. Part 1. J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 2014; 44(3):252-4. DOI: 10.4997/JRCPE.2014.314. View

URBAN J, Baker H . Radical mastectomy in continuity with en bloc resection of the internal mammary lymph-node chain; a new procedure for primary operable cancer of the breast. Cancer. 1952; 5(5):992-1008. DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(195209)5:5<992::aid-cncr2820050515>3.0.co;2-z. View

10.

Ho C, Mak C, Lau Y, Cheung W, Chan M, Hung W . Skin involvement in invasive breast carcinoma: safety of skin-sparing mastectomy. Ann Surg Oncol. 2003; 10(2):102-7. DOI: 10.1245/aso.2003.05.001. View

11.

Veronesi U, Saccozzi R, Del Vecchio M, Banfi A, Clemente C, De Lena M . Comparing radical mastectomy with quadrantectomy, axillary dissection, and radiotherapy in patients with small cancers of the breast. N Engl J Med. 1981; 305(1):6-11. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM198107023050102. View

12.

Taylor G, WALLACE R . Carcinoma of the breast; fifty years experience at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Ann Surg. 1950; 132(4):833-43. PMC: 1616821. DOI: 10.1097/00000658-195010000-00019. View

13.

Halsted W . I. The Results of Operations for the Cure of Cancer of the Breast Performed at the Johns Hopkins Hospital from June, 1889, to January, 1894. Ann Surg. 1894; 20(5):497-555. PMC: 1493925. DOI: 10.1097/00000658-189407000-00075. View

14.

PATEY D, DYSON W . The prognosis of carcinoma of the breast in relation to the type of operation performed. Br J Cancer. 1948; 2(1):7-13. PMC: 2007539. DOI: 10.1038/bjc.1948.2. View

15.

Robinson J . Treatment of breast cancer through the ages. Am J Surg. 1986; 151(3):317-33. DOI: 10.1016/0002-9610(86)90461-7. View

16.

Halsted W . I. The Results of Radical Operations for the Cure of Carcinoma of the Breast. Ann Surg. 1907; 46(1):1-19. PMC: 1414357. DOI: 10.1097/00000658-190707000-00001. View

17.

Fisher B, Bauer M, MARGOLESE R, POISSON R, Pilch Y, Redmond C . Five-year results of a randomized clinical trial comparing total mastectomy and segmental mastectomy with or without radiation in the treatment of breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 1985; 312(11):665-73. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM198503143121101. View

18.

Yi M, Kronowitz S, Meric-Bernstam F, Feig B, Fraser Symmans W, Lucci A . Local, regional, and systemic recurrence rates in patients undergoing skin-sparing mastectomy compared with conventional mastectomy. Cancer. 2010; 117(5):916-24. PMC: 4371507. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.25505. View

19.

Gerber B, Krause A, Dieterich M, Kundt G, Reimer T . The oncological safety of skin sparing mastectomy with conservation of the nipple-areola complex and autologous reconstruction: an extended follow-up study. Ann Surg. 2009; 249(3):461-8. DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31819a044f. View

20.

Lanitis S, Tekkis P, Sgourakis G, Dimopoulos N, Mufti R, Hadjiminas D . Comparison of skin-sparing mastectomy versus non-skin-sparing mastectomy for breast cancer: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Ann Surg. 2010; 251(4):632-9. DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e3181d35bf8. View