Encapsulated Papillary Carcinoma in a Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Breast Reconstruction: A Case Report

We report a case of a 45-year-old female who developed multi-focal encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC) in her left breast. This was on a background of previous left breast high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ, for which she had a skin-sparing mastectomy and deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) reconstruction five years ago. Papillary carcinoma is a rare pathology, and its occurrence in autologous breast reconstruction is even rarer. This is the second reported case of papillary carcinoma in a DIEP reconstruction. Although surgery remains the gold standard for EPC, debate remains with regard to adjuvant endocrine therapy and radiotherapy. We discuss the diagnosis and current management of an EPC.