[Diagnosis and treatment of nonpalpable breast tumors]

191 patients with nonpalpable breast tumors were admitted to the Clinic of Surgery of the I. M. Sechenov 1st Medical Institute. The tumors were detected during a mass screening survey; none of the patients had any complaints. Examination and palpation failed to detect any pathologic changes in 60.2% of females, while in 39.8%, bilateral mastopathia cystica was found. All patients underwent sectoral resection with interstitial marking of tumor. The marking procedure is described. Morphological examination confirmed X-ray diagnosis in 83% of cases. Most tumors were localized, while incipient invasive features were revealed in 58.3%. Morphologically, such tumors may be considered early cancer. When diagnosis of malignant tumor was confirmed by histological examination, radical mastectomy after the method of Patey was performed (68.9%). The end results of treatment are presented. Early diagnosis and effective therapy of breast cancer are determined by cooperation of X-ray, surgery and pathology department staff.