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The ANTHEM study

THErapeutic mammaplasty procedure a safe and effective surgical alternative to Mastectomy for treatment of breast cancer

Chief Investigator

Institution

Dates

Funding Stream

Amount

Miss Shelley Potter

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

01/02/2020 to 31/07/2022

Above and Beyond Autumn 2019

£99,994.16

 

Summary

Breast conserving surgery is the preferred treatment for many women with breast cancer.  Standard techniques, however frequently result in poor cosmetic outcomes and mastectomy (removal of the breast) with or without immediate breast reconstruction is often recommended.   Currently 40% of the 55,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer each year undergo a mastectomy but of these only 1 in 4 receive reconstruction.

Therapeutic mammaplasty is a technique that combines removing the cancer with plastic surgical techniques to reduce or lift the breast.  This allows larger or multiple tumours to be safely removed and the remaining breast reshaped to achieve a good cosmetic result.  This technique may allow some women to avoid a mastectomy and potentially improve their quality of life.

There is a need for high-quality research to determine whether therapeutic mammaplasty offers a safe and effective alternative to mastectomy but preliminary work is needed to ensure a future large-scale study is feasible, well-designed and addresses questions important to patients and the NHS.

The feasibility study will have 4 parts

  1. A national survey to determine the availability of therapeutic mammaplasty
  2. A pilot study to explore how many women are suitable for therapeutic mammaplasty; choose to undergo the procedure and whether existing patient-reported outcome questionnaires measure outcomes important to patients undergoing different types of surgery accurately and can reliably be used in a future large study.
  3. Interviews with patients to explore their views of different surgical options and the questionnaires used to assess key outcomes
  4. Design of the future study

This study will be the first step providing high-quality evidence to support the use of therapeutic mammaplasty as an alternative to mastectomy.  It will promote choice, improving outcomes for patients, many of whom will be long-term breast cancer survivors.