Long-term oncological outcomes after nipple-sparing mastectomy and implant-based immediate breast reconstruction in a population-based cohort of breast cancer patients

Why clinicians should know about it

• Picked for Breast and Endocrine Surgery (paper of the day, 16 October 2026): NSM associated with higher local recurrence than SSM

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) offers superior cosmetic and patient-reported outcomes compared with skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM), although its oncological safety remains debated. This study evaluated recurrence and survival after NSM versus SSM in women with breast cancer receiving implant-based immediate breast reconstruction (IBR). METHODS: The population-based Stockholm Breast Reconstruction Database, including all women with breast cancer who underwent implant-based IBR in Stockholm from 2005 to 2015, was reviewed. Data were collected from medical chart review and the National Quality Register for Breast Cancer. The primary outcomes were long-term local recurrence (LR) rates and overall survival (OS) after NSM versus SSM. Survival probabilities and hazard ratios (HR) with their 95% confidence interval (c.i.) were estimated with a maximum 12 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Of 1687 patients registered in the database, this analysis included 1594 implant-based IBRs performed in 1537 women with primary breast cancer. Of these, 86.3% (1376 breasts) had SSM and 13.7% had NSM (218 breasts). The median follow-up was 75 months for SSM and 60 months for NSM. The use of NSM increased from 7.6% in 2005-2007 to 26.6% in 2014-2015 (P < 0.001). LR occurred in 50 breasts, 13 after NSM and 37 after SSM, with a 12-year cumulative incidence of 14.1% for NSM and 3.7% for SSM (P = 0.001). Among the 13 LRs after NSM, 4 (30.8%) were localized in or beneath the nipple-areola complex. The unadjusted HR was 3.18 (95% c.i. 1.67 to 6.03) and remained significant in the multivariable analysis (HR 2.08; 95% c.i. 1.01 to 4.28). OS did not differ significantly (HR 0.74; 95% c.i. 0.38 to 1.44). CONCLUSION: NSM was associated with an increased risk of LR compared with SSM, whereas no significant association with OS was observed. Whether these results can be attributed to more residual breast glandular tissue needs to be evaluated in further research.

Abstract as published, via PubMed.