Conservative mastectomy: extending the idea of breast conservation

• Published in: The lancet oncology Vol. 13; no. 7; pp. e311 - e317
• Main Authors: Veronesi, Umberto, Stafyla, Vaia, Petit, Jean-Yves, Veronesi, Paolo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2012; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Biopsy; Body image; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - surgery; Dissection; Female; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Mammography; Mastectomy; Mastectomy, Subcutaneous - adverse effects; Mastectomy, Subcutaneous - methods; Mastectomy, Subcutaneous - psychology; Patients; Self image; Skin; Surgeons; Surgery; Surgical techniques; Tumors; Womens health
• ISSN: 1470-2045; 1474-5488; 1474-5488
• DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(12)70133-X

Conservative mastectomy is a surgical technique to remove breast glandular tissue without disruption to the appearance of the breast. The main contraindication to this operation is involvement of the nipple-areola complex. Preservation of a healthy nipple does not affect long-term survival rates. Intraoperative retroareolar biopsy and accurate removal of all mammary tissue are mainstays to guarantee oncological safety of the technique. A complication, however infrequent, is nipple necrosis, which can be treated successfully by local excision. Several breast reconstructive techniques are used during conservative mastectomy and aesthetic results are good in most cases.