title: Breast-conserving surgery is contraindicated for recurrent giant multifocal phyllodes tumours of breast.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The controversy between breast conserving surgery and simple mastectomy for phyllodes tumours of the breast remains because of the unpredictable nature of the disease. Although some benign tumours may show an unusually aggressive behaviour, modified radical surgery for phyllodes tumours offers no survival advantage, and recently more conservative surgical approaches have been deployed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 30-year-old woman with a giant multifocal tumour of the breast underwent breast-conserving surgery that made use of the well- circumscribed feature of the tumour. The case demonstrates the safety, and cosmetic benefit of the breast-conserving approach for multifocal phyllodes tumours except for the high recurrence rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Large size, multifocality, and borderline or malignant histology are contraindications for breast-conserving surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, P,O, Box 126, Limbe, S,W, Region, Cameroon. elroypat@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Elroy P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Weledji
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Enow-Orock
authors.forename: Marcelin N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ngowe
authors.forename: Leopold
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aminde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000075202:Contraindications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003557:Phyllodes Tumor / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis