Background:

Tissue expanders in breast reconstruction are traditionally placed retropectoral. Increasingly, patients are undergoing prepectoral placement. The impact of this placement on the initiation of adjuvant treatment is unknown.

Methods:

A retrospective review was conducted to identify women diagnosed with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy followed by radiation and/or chemotherapy. Women were divided into 3 groups: prepectoral tissue expander placement, retropectoral tissue expander placement, and no immediate reconstruction. A treatment delay was defined as greater than 8 weeks between tissue expander placement and adjuvant therapy.

Results:

Of 634 women, 205 (32%) underwent tissue expander placement, and 429 (68%) did not have immediate reconstruction. Of those with tissue expanders placed, 84 (41%) had prepectoral placement, and 121 (59%) had retropectoral placement. The median time to adjuvant therapy was 49 days for the entire cohort: no reconstruction, 47 days; prepectoral, 57 days; and retropectoral, 55 days. Treatment delays were observed in 34% of women: no reconstruction, 28%; prepectoral, 51%; and retropectoral, 46% (P < 0.001). Tissue expander placement was associated with a delay to adjuvant therapy when compared with no reconstruction (P < 0.001). The location of the tissue expander did not impact the odds of having a delay. On multivariable analysis, having reconstruction, having postoperative infection, not undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and being a current smoker were associated with a delay to adjuvant therapy. A delay to treatment was not associated with worse survival.

Conclusions:

Placement of a tissue expander delayed adjuvant therapy. The location of tissue expander placement, retropectoral versus prepectoral, did not impact the time to adjuvant treatment.