[Pathologico-anatomic characteristics of conservatively treated breast carcinomas in Basel]

Conservation treatment was applied to 406 patients in Basel, between 1977 and 1986, who accounted for 25% of all cases of mammary carcinoma. Patients with favourable prognostic factors had been selected for this therapeutic approach. The primary tumor bed was re-excised in about 50% of all operations. Intramammary recurrences were recorded from 9% of all cases, through an average follow-up period of 53 months. Presence of carcinoma residues in re-excised specimens was an important risk factor for development of locally delimited recurrence. Additional risks were relating to presence of tumor residues in final excision margins as well as to invasive lobular carcinoma. No combination of histopathological risk factors has so far become known as an absolute contraindication to conservation treatment of mammary carcinoma.