[Therapeutic problems posed by sub-clinical breast cancers]

Screening has led to the earlier detection of non palpable ductal or lobular carcinoma in situ microinvasive carcinoma and invasive breast cancer 1 cm or less in size (minimal breast cancer). Formerly, most of these cancers were cured by mastectomy but the dramatic change in frequency has prompted interest in the role of conservation treatment. Minimal breast cancer is a heterogeneous group of lesions, no single approach will be appropriate for all form of these diseases and methods must be developed to determine the most appropriate treatment for each patient.