Nipple Areola Complex Involvement in Invasive Carcinoma Breast

A variety of factors including tumor biology and distance of the tumor from the nipple have been associated with nipple areola complex involvement in patients with breast cancer. Preoperative understanding regarding these factors can help in modifying the surgical options including preservation of nipple areola complex (NAC) and breast conservation. Nipple sparing surgery (breast conservation surgery/skin sparing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction) for breast cancer has gained widespread interest with the aim of achieving oncologically safe and cosmetically acceptable outcome. To study the proportion of cases with nipple areola complex involvement in invasive carcinoma breast and to describe the variables predictive of nipple areola complex involvement in patients undergoing excision of tumor along with NAC for invasive carcinoma breast. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 136 patients who underwent mastectomy in Regional Cancer Center, Thiruvananthapuram. Tumor nipple distance was assessed preoperatively using mammogram and postoperatively by histopathological examination. Nipple involvement was seen only among 4.4%. Preoperative assessment of tumor to nipple distance, tumor size, location, and stage of the disease agrees with the histopathological examination. Only a small proportion of breast cancer has NAC involvement and preoperative assessment could help the surgeon in deciding on the feasibility of NAC preservation.