title: Bilateral primary breast cancer.
abstract: Primary carcinoma of breast was treated in 967 patients from 1962 through 1972. Thirty-five of these patients had a second primary tumor of which 50% were discovered simultaneously. A family history for cancer was recorded in 26% of the patients with bilateral cancer. Patients found their tumor more often than the physician except in the simultaneous cases where the physician was more successful. Pathological examination showed 10% of the tumors were comedo, lobular carcinoma in situ, papillary, or tubular cancers. In the metachronous group, 50% of the axillae were involved on both sides. In the simultaneous cases the axilla was less frequently involved. Mammography, biopsies of the second breast, and prophylactic mastectomy in certain high-risk patients should improve survival rates.
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008327:Mammography; D008408:Mastectomy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D013997:Time Factors