Subcutaneous mastectomy: an interim report on 1,244 patients

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Subcutaneous mastectomy is a surgical procedure for breast cancer prevention and treatment.
• Understanding the incidence of occult breast cancer and associated benign diseases is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of subcutaneous mastectomy in preventing breast cancer.
• To determine the incidence of occult breast cancer (lobular carcinoma in situ and ductal carcinoma in situ) in patients undergoing subcutaneous mastectomy.
• To identify benign breast diseases associated with occult malignancies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1,244 patients who underwent subcutaneous mastectomy over fourteen years.
• Average follow-up period of seven years.
• Pathological examination of surgical specimens to identify occult malignancies and associated benign conditions.

Main Results:

• Occult lobular carcinoma in situ was found in 4.3% of patients.
• Occult ductal or intraductal carcinoma was found in 5.1% of patients, totaling 9.4% with occult cancer.
• Breast cancer developed in only 0.5% of patients after subcutaneous mastectomy, indicating high efficacy in prevention.
• Associated benign fibrocystic diseases included microcysts, macrocysts, lobular hyperplasia, intraductal hyperplasia, and sclerosing adenosis.

Conclusions:

• Subcutaneous mastectomy is an effective surgical intervention for preventing breast cancer development.
• The procedure demonstrates a low incidence of post-operative breast cancer, supporting its role in risk reduction.
• Identification of associated benign breast diseases aids in understanding the pathological landscape of breasts undergoing this procedure.