title: The pathologist's examination of the "lumpectomy"--the pathologists' view of surgical margins.
abstract: Despite the widespread conservative management of breast cancer, the pathologists' examination of these specimens is far from uniform. Pathologists sample margins differently, and even disagree on what constitutes a positive margin. This variability in the pathologic examination of the lumpectomy creates tremendous problems in analyzing the existing literature on the importance of positive margins. Herein is a discussion of the available data on the significance of margin assessment. We furthermore suggest a practical approach to examining margins with an emphasis on a functional orientation of the specimen with respect to the nipple. Only by adopting a uniform system of margin assessment can we begin to critically evaluate the importance of positive margins in segmental resections of the breast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baptist Hospital, Miami, FL 33176-2197.
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Gould
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000592:standards; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000592:standards*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*