[Therapeutic procedure in synchronous and metachronous breast cancers]

The article is written in response to the discussion, raised by L. Yu. Dymarsky and R. T. Popova on pages of the Journal "Voprosy Onkologii" No 8, 1978. The writers have observed 45 patients with bilateral involvement of mammary glands. In stages I and II the primary bilateral involvement of mammary glands was noted in 27 of 29 patients (93.1%), in stages III and IV metastatic cancer of the opposite gland prevailed in 62.5% (in 10 of 16 patients). To differentially diagnose between synchronous and metachronous primary cancers and secondary ones (metastatic) the clinical data may be value, first of all, the degree of spread of the tumor process and its localization. Therapeutic policy obligatory takes account of the primary or metastatic origin of a tumor in the opposite mammary gland. Sectorial resection of a symmetric portion of the second mammary gland simultaneously with mastectomy is indicated in case of clinical, roentgenological or cytologic suspicions of a neoplasm in it.