title: Pathologic findings in breast reduction specimens: detection of occult premalignant and cancerous lesions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As reduction mammaplasty has become one of the most popular reconstructive procedures, there is an increasing number of reports regarding histopathologic findings in breast tissue yielded by the procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study evaluates histopathologic findings in breast tissue removed during reduction mammaplasty procedures performed during a 40-month period (2008-2011), and includes 300 patients of which 258 underwent bilateral breast reduction (group B) and 42 unilateral reduction for symmetry to the contralateral reconstructed breast (group U).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Occult carcinomas were detected in 4 (1.55%) group B patients and 1 (2.38%) group U patient. Atypical hyperplasia and intraductal papillomas were identified in 22 (8.6%) and 5 (11.9%) patients, respectively. Benign pathologic changes including typical mild ductal hyperplasia, fibrocystic disease, adenosis, fibroadenoma, and lobular atrophy were identified in 174 (67.44%) group B and 26 (61.9%) group U patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breast carcinomas are rarely detected in breast tissue yielded by reduction mammaplasty procedures due to routinely performed preoperative assessment including clinical examination and mammograms. Pathologic examination of specimens provides the clinician with a conclusive diagnosis allowing for possible prompt further management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand Surgery and Burn Unit, Athens General State Hospital 'G. Gennimatas', Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kyriopoulos
authors.forename: Despoina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kakagia
authors.forename: Polyxeni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zapandioti
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papaliodi
authors.forename: Dimosthenis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsoutsos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult