[Subcutaneous mastectomy: the importance of the histopathological assessment technic]

Subcutaneous mastectomy was performed in 300 patients between 1974 and 1981 for various indications. Precancerosis or non-invasive carcinomas were established by previous biopsy in 106 patients. The comparison of pathologic anatomy data of conventional and serial assessment of specimens showed an increase of clinically occult non-invasive carcinomas from 5.4 to 18.3% and of preoperatively undiagnosed invasive carcinomas from 2.3 to 7.7% in serial assessment and unchanged indication. Whereas the therapeutic value of subcutaneous mastectomy cannot be judged with certainty due to the relatively short observation period, the diagnostic value seems, according to these findings, to be ascertained. However, a much more complex histologic assessment technique beyond the usual is required.