Surgical Management of the Patient with Invasive Carcinoma Discovered at Reduction Mammoplasty

Abstract

The diagnosis of invasive carcinoma presents a surgical dilemma when discovered incidentally at breast reduction mammoplasty. Subsequent surgical and therapeutic management for such cases have not been established. Although management and treatment may vary according to patient preference, a review of the literature of the past four decades yielded scant discussion of the topic. We describe two cases of occult breast carcinomas that were not evident on preoperative breast screening, but were discovered on the pathology exam of reduction mammoplasty specimen. The purpose of our publication is to recommend a surgical approach for the patient in such a situation.