1: Eur J Surg Oncol 1998 Feb;24(1):15-6

Prediction of nipple and areola involvement in breast cancer.

Vyas JJ, Chinoy RF, Vaidya JS

Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Bombay, India.

AIMS: To find a pre-operative test for nipple and areola involvement in breast
cancer. METHODS: Areola-tumour distance was measured in 140 consecutive patients
(median age 45, range: 23-83) undergoing a mastectomy. We analysed whether
nipple and areola correlated with areola-tumour distance, tumour size, nodal
status, perinodal involvement and lymphatic embolization. RESULTS: The nipple
was involved in 22 (16%) cases and this correlated with tumour size, number of
lymph nodes, perinodal extension and presence of lymphatic emboli. In all these
22 cases, the tumour was within 2.5 cm of the areola. Tumour size, however,
could not predict nipple involvement in tumours within 2.5 cm of the areolar
edge. CONCLUSIONS: In the one-fifth of cases where the tumour is over 2.5 cm
from the areola, preserving the nipple and areola for reconstruction may be
worthwhile. In remaining cases, some other predictive test for nipple
involvement would be necessary.

PMID: 9542508, UI: 98203635