Comparison of minimal access and open breast surgery: a propensity score-matched study on postoperative immune function in breast cancer.

Background: Minimal access breast surgery (MABS) is commonly employed in the management of breast cancer, but there is limited research on the postoperative immune function associated with MABS.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the postoperative immune function in breast patients who underwent MABS or conventional open breast surgery (COBS).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 829 breast cancer patients treated with either MABS or COBS at a single hospital between January 2020 and June 2023. Among them, 116 matched pairs were obtained through 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM). Flow cytometry was used to measure the percentages of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ cells, as well as the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio, on three different time points: preoperative day 1 (PreD1), postoperative day 1 (PostD1), and postoperative day 7 (PostD7).

Results: Both the MABS and COBS groups demonstrated a significant reduction in the percentages of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ cells, along with the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio, from PreD1 to PostD1. Interestingly, the MABS group showed a reversal of these parameters, returning to preoperative levels by PostD7. Conversely, the COBS group showed an increase in these parameters from PostD1 to PostD7, but they still remained significantly lower than preoperative levels at PostD7.

Conclusion: MABS treatment may result in reduced postoperative immune suppression and faster recovery of preoperative immune function compared to COBS in patients.