Multicenter retrospective cohort study of minimal access versus conventional nipple-sparing mastectomy for breast cancer

While nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) for breast cancer was only performed using the open method in the past, its frequency using endoscopic and robotic surgical instruments has been increasing rapidly. However, there are limited studies regarding postoperative complications and the benefits and drawbacks of minimal access NSM (M-NSM) compared with conventional NSM (C-NSM). A retrospective cohort study enrolling 1583 patients aged 19 years or older with breast cancer who underwent NSM at 21 university hospitals in South Korea between januari 2018 and december 2020 compared outcomes with M-NSM (n=227) versus C-NSM (n=1356). There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding short- or long-term postoperative complications. The authors conclude that M-NSM is a viable option for breast cancer treatment.