Nipple-areolar preservation during breast-conserving therapy for subareolar breast carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if women with subareolar breast carcinoma can be successfully treated by breast-conserving therapy consisting of segmental mastectomy that preserves the nipple-areolar complex, axillary lymph node dissection, and postoperative irradiation.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Tertiary care cancer center.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients; median age, 56 years; median tumor diameter, 1.4 cm; and median follow-up, 48 months.


METHODS
Breast-conserving therapy for subareolar primary breast carcinoma.


RESULTS
Two patients had positive surgical margins of resection, and another patient underwent simple mastectomy after developing a local recurrence. Nipple-areolar distortion was the most common cosmetic deformity after breast-conserving therapy, but overall cosmesis was good. At the most recent follow-up, all patients were free of disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients who have small subareolar primary breast carcinomas without evidence of nipple involvement are candidates for breast-conserving therapy with nipple-areolar preservation.
Dale
P S
PS
John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Hospital and Health Center, Santa Monica, Calif. USA.
Giuliano
A E
AE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009558:Nipples; D011446:Prospective Studies