Innovations in Breast Cancer Surgery and Their Adoption and Adaptation in Iraq

TL;DR

The paper discusses recent advancements in breast cancer surgery in Iraq, including the adoption of less invasive treatments and improved outcomes.

Contribution

The paper highlights the adoption of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and breast-conserving surgery in Iraq as innovative approaches to breast cancer treatment.

Findings

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and breast-conserving surgery are gaining preference in regions like Kurdistan.

Breast-conserving surgery for multifocal breast cancer in Baghdad has comparable outcomes to mastectomy.

Hypofractionated 3DCRT improves local control and progression-free survival in breast cancer patients.

Abstract

Through this editorial, we have attempted to provide an update on the changing scenario for breast cancer surgery in Iraq by describing giant steps toward the adoption of new treatments. One factor to consider is the general trend towards neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in regions such as Kurdistan, which indicates a preference for these minimally invasive approaches. Additionally, new perspectives on multifocal breast cancer in Baghdad demonstrate that BCS can be effective, with local recurrence rates comparable to mastectomy. Radiotherapy, particularly hypofractionated three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), has shown substantial benefits in local control and progression-free survival. The importance of timely surgical interventions is also emphasized; most Iraqi women who receive a mastectomy stress to go through surgical interventions within three months of diagnosis. All these are significant reasons for optimism with regard to attaining more exemplary outcomes in patients as well as good strides toward international best practices. Such steps show that Iraq is keen on incorporating advanced surgical techniques that ameliorate breast cancer management.