OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical efficacy of the immediate breast reconstruction following breast-conserving surgery for centrally located breast cancer.

METHODSFrom January of 2006 through December of 2011, 30 women with centrally located breast cancer of stage I or II was treated by breast-conserving surgery removing or not removing the nipple-areola complex. All the patients received immediate breast reconstruction with adjacent gland tissue flap or latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. The breast shape and complication were observed. All the patients were followed up.

RESULTSThe thirty women underwent the breast-conserving surgery successfully, in which 12 cases received immediate breast reconstruction with adjacent gland tissue flap and 18 cases received immediate breast reconstruction with latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. The superior rate of the aesthetic effect was 90% (27/30) according to JCRT in one week or six months after surgery. No recurrence and metastasis were observed after a median follow-up of 38 months ( range 4-72 months).

CONCLUSIONThe immediate breast reconstruction following breast-conserving surgery for centrally located breast cancer at early stage is satisfactory for the aesthetic result and clinical efficacy, and deserves further clinical application.