IMPORTANCE Autologous fat transfer (AFT or fat grafting) has become an invaluable tool for the correction of disfiguring deformities after breast cancer surgery. However, clinical and animal studies have shown conflicting results regarding its oncologic safety. OBJECTIVE To determine whether exposure to AFT vs conventional breast reconstruction is associated with increased rates of cancer relapse in patients with breast cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This matched cohort study involved retrospective medical record review to identify all patients in a local patient database receiving AFT between 2006 and 2014. Each AFT case was matched with a nonexposed control patient with similar baseline characteristics. The mean (SD) follow-up of patients receiving AFT was 9.3 (4.9) years including 5.0 (1.7) years following AFT. Control patients were followed up for a mean (SD) of 8.6 (1.8) years from the primary surgery. Patients were identified through the local patient database of the Tergooi Hospital in Hilversum, the Netherlands. A total of 287 patients with breast cancer (300 affected breasts) who received AFT for breast reconstruction after cancer were included in the intervention group. Each AFT case was matched with a respective control patient based on age, type of oncologic surgery, tumor invasiveness, and disease stage. In addition, individual AFT-control pairs were selected to have the same locoregional recurrence-free interval at baseline. Data were analyzed between 2016 and 2017. EXPOSURES Reconstruction with AFT vs conventional breast reconstruction or none. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Primary end points were the cumulative incidences of oncologic events in AFT and control patients and their respective hazard ratios. RESULTS Of the 587 total patients, all were women and the mean age was 48.1 years for the patients undergoing AFT and 49.4 years for the control patients. Eight locoregional recurrences were observed in the treatment group (287 patients) and 11 among the control group (300 patients), leading to an unadjusted hazard ratio of 0.63 (95% CI, 0.25-1.60; P = .33). No increased locoregional recurrence rates were seen in relevant subgroups based on the type of oncological surgery, tumor invasiveness, or pathological stage. In addition, no increased risks with AFT were detected with respect to distant recurrences or breast cancer-specific mortality. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE No significant differences in the locoregional recurrence rates between the AFT and control groups were observed after 5 years of follow-up. These findings confirm the results of previous studies; therefore, clinical evidence suggesting that AFT is associated with increased risk for cancer relapse is still lacking.

IMPORTANCEThe use of autologous fat transfer (AFT) or lipofilling for correcting contour deformities is seen as one of the major breakthroughs in reconstructive plastic surgery. Its applications in facial reconstructive surgery have been of particular interest owing to the prospect of achieving autologous reconstruction by a minimally invasive approach. However, its unpredictability and variable degree of resorption have limited its utility and much skepticism still exists regarding its efficacy. Furthermore, more than 2 decades of clinical research have produced a highly fragmented body of evidence that has not been able to provide definite answers. OBJECTIVE To investigate the safety and efficacy of AFT in facial reconstruction through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Lipofilling ok

Although the first reports on cancer recurrence after ALAG are inconclusive, they show promising results. Whether lipoaspirate grafting promotes LRR in breast cancer patients is still unclear. To be able to answer this question, larger prospective trials with longer follow-up are needed.

Background: Autologous fat transfer (AFT), also known as lipofilling, has been demonstrated to be more than just a filler. Through both mechanical dissection and local tissue remodelling mediated by stem cells, it is thought to improve scar quality, function and even pain. This paper aims to investigate the evidence regarding its safety and effectiveness for treating fibrosis and scar-related conditions. Methods: A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library to identify relevant studies. Extensive data extraction and standardization allowed conducting a meta-analysis. Results: Forty-five studies (3033 patients) provided sufficient data for meta-analysis. The AFT treatment resulted in significant increase in satisfaction scores of both patient and surgeon (p = 0.001). Furthermore, a significant overall scar improvement was also found in the evaluation using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, with the most notable effect in the scar stiffness (p < 0.001) and pliability (p = 0.004). In patients with severe pain, AFT resulted in a significant pain reduction of 3.7 points on the Visual Analogue Scale (p < 0.001). Last, but not the least, the evidence suggests a significant recovery of radiotherapy-induced tissue damage (p = 0.003) and function (p = 0.012). On average, 1.4 procedures were required to achieve the desired result. Minor complications occurred in 4.8% of the procedures. Conclusions: AFT is a promising treatment for fibrosis and scar-related conditions. Future research should focus on determining the long-term effects of AFT on fibrosis, pain and function.

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