title: Conservative mastectomies: an overview.
abstract: Conservative mastectomies provide removal of the entire breast parenchyma, saving the outer covering of the mammary gland with the possibility of performing an immediate reconstruction preserving women body image. We rationalised and systematically organized our reconstructive algorythms giving a new different light to mastectomies, the so-called "conservative mastectomies", an oxymoron indicating skin-sparing mastectomies (SSM), nipple-areola complex-sparing mastectomies (NSM) and skin-reducing mastectomies (SRM). Eventhough randomized controlled trials comparing conservative mastectomies with traditional mastectomy and breast conserving surgery would be auspicable in order to achieve higher levels of evidence, we could confidently conclude that conservative mastectomies offer the psychological advantages of good cosmesis and maintenance of woman body image without compromising the oncological safety of mastectomy.
authors.affiliation: 1 Scuola di Oncologia Chirurgica Ricostruttiva, Via Besana, Milano, Italy ; 2 Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Via S.Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy ; 3 Multidisciplinary Breast Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Cannizzaro, Via Messina 829, 95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio Bruno
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Nava
authors.affiliation: 1 Scuola di Oncologia Chirurgica Ricostruttiva, Via Besana, Milano, Italy ; 2 Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Via S.Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy ; 3 Multidisciplinary Breast Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Cannizzaro, Via Messina 829, 95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.affiliation: 1 Scuola di Oncologia Chirurgica Ricostruttiva, Via Besana, Milano, Italy ; 2 Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Via S.Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy ; 3 Multidisciplinary Breast Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Cannizzaro, Via Messina 829, 95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Catanuto
keywords: Skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM); breast cancer; nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM)