Preoperative cytology and mammography in patients with single-duct nipple discharge treated by surgery

Microdochectomy has been the routine management for single-duct nipple discharge. Our review of 176 consecutive patients surgically treated between 1975 and 1988 revealed eight patients with in situ carcinomas and seven with infiltrative carcinomas. Seventeen patients had multiple papillomas, two had atypical hyperplasia and two had atypical epitheliosis. Case selection for surgery has recently been advocated. In our study, nipple discharge cytology was helpful in 67 per cent of cases with underlying malignant pathology. Mammography was found to be unreliable, alerting suspicion in only two of 15 cases.