Impact of Mastectomy Flap Necrosis on Patient-Reported Quality-of-Life Measures After Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: A Preliminary Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mastectomy skin flap necrosis (SFN) is common following nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM), but studies on its quality-of-life (QOL) impact are limited. We examined patient-reported QOL and satisfaction after NSM with/without SFN utilizing the BREAST-Q patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) survey. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing NSM between April 2018 and July 2021 at our institution were examined; the BREAST-Q PROM was administered preoperatively, and at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. SFN extent/severity was documented at 2-3 weeks postoperatively; QOL and satisfaction domains were compared between patients with/without SFN. RESULTS: A total of 573 NSMs in 333 patients were included, and 135 breasts in 82 patients developed SFN (24% superficial, 56% partial thickness, 16% full thickness). Patients with SFN reported significantly lower scores in the satisfaction with breasts (p = 0.032) and psychosocial QOL domains (p = 0.009) at 6 months versus those without SFN, with scores returning to baseline at 1 year in both domains. In the "physical well-being-of-the-chest" domain, there was an overall decline in scores among all patients; however, there were no significant differences at any time point between patients with or without SFN. Sexual well-being scores declined for patients with SFN compared with those without at 6 months and also at 1 year, but this did not reach significance (p = 0.13, p = 0.2, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing NSM who developed SFN reported significantly lower satisfaction and psychosocial well-being scores at 6 months, which returned to baseline by 1 year. Physical well-being of the chest significantly declines after NSM regardless of SFN. Future studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up are needed to determine SFN's impact on long-term QOL.

Positive Nipple Margins in Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: Management of Nipples Containing Cancer or Atypia.

BACKGROUND: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is an oncologically safe approach for breast cancer treatment and prevention; however, there are little long-term data to guide management for patients whose nipple margins contain tumor or atypia. METHODS: NSM patients with tumor or atypia in their nipple margin were identified from a prospectively maintained, single-institution database of consecutive NSMs. Patient and tumor characteristics, treatment, recurrence, and survival data were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 3158 NSMs were performed from June 2007 to August 2019. Nipple margins contained tumor in 117 (3.7%) NSMs and atypia only in 164 (5.2%) NSMs. Among 117 nipple margins that contained tumor, 34 (29%) margins contained invasive cancer, 80 (68%) contained ductal carcinoma in situ only, and 3 (3%) contained lymphatic vessel invasion only. Management included nipple-only excision in 67 (57%) breasts, nipple-areola complex excision in 35 (30%) breasts, and no excision in 15 (13%) breasts. Only 23 (24%) excised nipples contained residual tumor. At 67 months median follow-up, there were 2 (1.8%) recurrences in areolar or peri-areolar skin, both in patients with nipple-only excision. Among 164 nipple margins containing only atypia, 154 (94%) nipples were retained. At 60 months median follow-up, no patient with atypia alone had a nipple or areola recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Nipple excision is effective management for nipple margins containing tumor. No intervention is required for nipple margins containing only atypia. Our results support broad eligibility for NSM with careful nipple margin assessment.

Multimodality Imaging of Benign and Malignant Diseases of the Nipple-Areolar Complex.

The nipple-areolar complex (NAC), a unique anatomic structure of the breast, encompasses the terminal intramammary ducts and skin appendages. Several benign and malignant diseases can arise within the NAC. As several conditions have overlapping symptoms and imaging findings, understanding the distinctive nipple anatomy, as well as the clinical and imaging features of each NAC disease process, is essential. A multimodality imaging approach is optimal in the presence or absence of clinical symptoms. The authors review the ductal anatomy and anomalies, including congenital abnormalities and nipple retraction. They then discuss the causes of nipple discharge and highlight best practices for the imaging workup of pathologic nipple discharge, a common condition that can pose a diagnostic challenge and may be the presenting symptom of breast cancer. The imaging modalities used to evaluate and differentiate benign conditions (eg, dermatologic conditions, epidermal inclusion cyst, mammary ductal ectasia, periductal mastitis, and nonpuerperal abscess), benign tumors (eg, papilloma, nipple adenoma, and syringomatous tumor of the nipple), and malignant conditions (eg, breast cancer and Paget disease of the breast) are reviewed. Breast MRI is the current preferred imaging modality used to evaluate for NAC involvement by breast cancer and select suitable candidates for nipple-sparing mastectomy. Different biopsy techniques (US -guided biopsy and stereotactic biopsy) for sampling NAC masses and calcifications are described. This multimodality imaging approach ensures an accurate diagnosis, enabling optimal clinical management and patient outcomes. ©RSNA, 2024 Test Your Knowledge questions for this article are available in the supplemental material.

Dense Lichenoid Inflammation in Paget Disease: A Diagnostic Pitfall.

ABSTRACT: Mammary Paget disease is a rare form of breast cancer, which typically presents as an eczematous plaque on the nipple or surrounding skin. It is often a clinical diagnosis that is confirmed with skin biopsy. Histologic hallmarks of mammary Paget disease include large, pleomorphic, malignant, ductal epithelial cells within the epidermis. Chronic lichenoid inflammation may be seen in the papillary dermis but is not diagnostic. Because mammary Paget disease often overlies ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive carcinoma of the breast, prompt bilateral mammography is warranted. We report a case of Paget disease of the nipple with negative breast imaging that was originally misdiagnosed due to a dense lichenoid infiltrate obscuring the neoplasm.

Melanoma Mimicker: Pigmented Mammary Paget Disease in a Man.

ABSTRACT: Male breast cancer comprises less than 1% of all breast cancer cases. Mammary Paget disease (MPD) represents a subset of breast cancer that presents with skin changes of the nipple and areola, and is frequently misdiagnosed clinically due to similarities with other disease states, leading to an average delay in diagnosis of 1 month to 2 years. Pigmented mammary Paget disease (PMPD) is an uncommon variant of MPD that clinically and histologically resembles malignant melanoma. Due to variable immunohistochemical staining patterns, analysis can be challenging and often requires interpretation of panels for accurate diagnosis. We present a rare case of PMPD in a male, originally diagnosed both clinically and histologically as malignant melanoma, to highlight the diagnostic challenges that this entity presents, and to review staining patterns which may be useful in its diagnosis.

Surgical Management of Postoperative Nipple Necrosis After Inverted Nipple Correction: Experiences From a Series of 25 Cases.

INTRODUCTION: The inverted nipple is a condition that affects approximately 10% of women and can have negative cosmetic and psychological implications. Surgical correction is a common approach to address this concern; however, this method can lead to complications, such as nipple necrosis. As comprehensive guidelines are currently lacking for postoperative nipple necrosis management, this study reports our experience in the management of postoperative nipple necrosis following initial attempt at surgical management. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted and included female patients who experienced postoperative nipple necrosis after inverted nipple correction between 2018 and 2021. Cases of recurrent nipple retraction following partial necrosis and cases of complete nipple necrosis were evaluated. Recurrent nipple retraction was managed using various inverted nipple correction techniques, while complete necrosis required a modified C-V flap for nipple reconstruction. RESULTS: A total of 25 patients with a total of 42 affected nipples were included. Thirteen cases (26 nipples) experienced recurrent nipple retraction following partial necrosis, while 12 cases (16 nipples) exhibited complete necrosis. No significant predictive variables for these complications were found. Notably, all patients achieved successful healing following single-stage surgical repair. At 6 months postoperation, the treated nipples exhibited satisfactory healing and appearance and an absence of infection or papillary necrosis. Seven reconstructed nipples showed a mean loss of projection (2.7 ± 0.98) compared with only 2 nipples in the inverted nipple correction group. CONCLUSIONS: Distinguishing between recurrent nipple retraction after partial necrosis and complete nipple necrosis is crucial and should be taken into consideration when managing patients following inverted nipple correction.

Prediction of nipple involvement in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: Should we rely on breast MRI to preserve the nipple?

BACKGROUND: Indications for nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM) is extending to post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) setting. Eligibility for NSM with an optimum tumor-nipple distance (TND) after NAC is unclear. We examined predictive factors for nipple tumor involvement in patients undergoing total mastectomy following NAC. METHODS: Clinical and pathological data from prospectively collected medical records of women with invasive breast carcinoma, who were undergone NAC and total mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy and/or axillary lymph node dissection were analyzed. PreNAC and postNAC magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) views were examined and a cut-off TND value for predicting the negative nipple tumor status was determined. RESULTS: Among 180 women, the final mastectomy specimen analysis revealed that 12 (7%) had nipple involvement as invasive carcinoma. Patients with nipple involvement had more postNAC multifocal/multicentric tumors (p: 0.03), larger tumors on preNAC and postNAC images (p: 0.002 and p < 0.001), shorter median TNDs on preNAC and postNAC images (7 mm-IQR 1.5-14, p: 0.005 and 8.5 mm-IQR 3-15.5, p < 0.001, respectively), more nipple retraction on preNAC and postNAC images (p: 0.007 and p: 0.006) and more nipple areola complex skin thickening (> 2mm) on preNAC and postNAC images (p < 0.001 and p: 0.01). The best likelihood ratios (LR) belonged to the postNAC positivity of the < 20 mm TND, with a + LR of 3.40, and - LR of 0.11 for nipple involvement. PreNAC positivity of the < 20 mm TND also had a similar - LR of 0.14. CONCLUSION: A TND-cut-off  ≥ 2 cm on preNAC and postNAC MRI was shown to be highly predictive of negative nipple tumor involvement.

Resolution of Nonmass Enhancement Extension to the Nipple at Breast MRI after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Pathologic Response and Feasibility for Nipple-sparing Mastectomy.

Background Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is usually contraindicated in patients with nonmass enhancement (NME) extension to the nipple at breast MRI. However, little is known about the feasibility of NSM when NME extension to the nipple resolves after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Purpose To evaluate whether NSM is an appropriate surgical procedure for patients in whom NME extension to the nipple resolves after NAC. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 383 women with NME at baseline MRI who underwent NAC followed by mastectomy between January 2007 and March 2022 at a single institution. NME extension to the nipple was assessed using breast MRI before NAC (hereafter, pre-NAC) and after NAC (hereafter, post-NAC). In 326 women who underwent mastectomy with removal of the nipple-areolar complex, the rate of pathologic analysis-confirmed tumor invasion of the nipple compared with NME extension to the nipple at post-NAC breast MRI was evaluated. Tumor involvement of the nipple was also assessed in those with complete pathologic response at posttreatment MRI. Furthermore, the outcomes in 57 women undergoing NSM were investigated, particularly in patients with NME extension to the nipple at initial diagnosis. Results Of the 326 women who underwent mastectomy with removal of the nipple-areolar complex (mean age, 49 years ± 9.4 [SD]), 217 patients (67%) showed NME extension to the nipple on pre-NAC MRI scans. Among the 153 women (70%) in whom the NME extension to the nipple resolved after NAC, the rate of pathologic analysis-confirmed tumor invasion of the nipple was 2.6% (four of 153 women; 95% CI: 0, 6.5). No pathologic analysis-confirmed tumor invasion of the nipple was detected in 31 women with complete response at MRI. Of the 57 women who underwent NSM, 12 (21%) with resolution of NME extension to the nipple after NAC had no relapse during the median follow-up of 31 months (range, 11-80 months). Conclusion Pathologic analysis-confirmed tumor invasion of the nipple was rare in women with resolution of nonmass enhancement extension to the nipple after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Therefore, nipple-sparing mastectomy could be feasible in this population, especially in those with complete MRI response to NAC. © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Lee in this issue.

Toker Cell Hyperplasia in the Nipple-Areolar Complex of Transmasculine Individuals.

We previously reported breast histopathologic features associated with testosterone therapy in transmasculine chest-contouring surgical specimens. During that study, we observed a high frequency of intraepidermal glands in the nipple-areolar complex (NAC) formed by Toker cells. This study reports Toker cell hyperplasia (TCH)-the presence of clusters of Toker cells consisting of at least 3 contiguous cells and/or glands with lumen formation-in the transmasculine population. Increased numbers of singly dispersed Toker cells were not considered TCH. Among the 444 transmasculine individuals, 82 (18.5%) had a portion of their NAC excised and available for evaluation. We also reviewed the NACs from 55 cisgender women who were aged <50 years old and had full mastectomies. The proportion of transmasculine cases with TCH (20/82; 24.4%) was 1.7-fold higher than cisgender women (8/55; 14.5%) but did not achieve significance (P = .20). However, in cases with TCH, the rate of gland formation is 2.4-fold higher in transmasculine cases, achieving borderline significance (18/82 vs 5/55; P = .06). Among transmasculine individuals, TCH was significantly more likely to be present in those with higher body mass index (P = .03). A subset of 5 transmasculine and 5 cisgender cases were stained for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), androgen receptor (AR), cytokeratin 7, and Ki67. All 10 cases were cytokeratin 7+ and Ki67-; 9 out of 10 cases were AR+. Toker cells in transmasculine cases demonstrated variable expression of ER, PR, and HER2. For cisgender cases, Toker cells were consistently ER+, PR-, and HER2-. In conclusion, there is a higher rate of TCH in the transmasculine than cisgender population, particularly among transmasculine individuals with high body mass index and taking testosterone. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that Toker cells are AR+. Toker cell features display variable ER, PR, and HER2 immunoreactivity. The clinical significance of TCH in the transmasculine population remains to be elucidated.

Oncologic Outcomes in Nipple-sparing Mastectomy with Immediate Reconstruction and Total Mastectomy with Immediate Reconstruction in Women with Breast Cancer: A Machine-Learning Analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study used a single-institution cohort, the Severance dataset, validated the results by using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database, adjusted with propensity-score matching (PSM), and analyzed by using a machine learning method. To determine whether the 5-year, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients undergoing nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) with immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) are not inferior to those of women treated with total mastectomy/skin-sparing mastectomy (TM/SSM). METHODS: The Severance dataset enrolled 611 patients with early, invasive breast cancer from 2010 to 2017. The SEER dataset contained data for 485,245 patients undergoing TM and 14,770 patients undergoing NSM between 2000 and 2018. All patients underwent mastectomy and IBR. Intraoperative, frozen-section biopsy for the retro-areolar tissue was performed in the NSM group. The SEER dataset was extracted by using operation types, including TM/SSM and NSM. The primary outcome was DFS for the Severance dataset and OS for the SEER dataset. PSM analysis was applied. Survival outcomes were analyzed by using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard (Cox PH) regression model. We implemented XGBSE to predict mortality with high accuracy and evaluated model prediction performance using a concordance index. The final model inspected the impact of relevant predictors on the model output using shapley additive explanation (SHAP) values. RESULTS: In the Severance dataset, 151 patients underwent NSM with IBR and 460 patients underwent TM/SSM with IBR. No significant differences were found between the groups. In multivariate analysis, NSM was not associated with reduced oncologic outcomes. The same results were observed in PSM analysis. In the SEER dataset, according to the SHAP values, the individual feature contribution suggested that AJCC stage ranks first. Analyses from the two datasets confirmed no impact on survival outcomes from the two surgical methods. CONCLUSIONS: NSM with IBR is a safe and feasible procedure in terms of oncologic outcomes. Analysis using machine learning methods can be successfully applied to identify significant risk factors for oncologic outcomes.

Classification of Local Recurrence After Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy Based on Location: The Features of Nipple-Areolar Recurrence Differ from Those of Other Local Recurrences.

BACKGROUND: Little information is available about the clinical and pathologic characteristics of local recurrence (LR) after nipple-sparing mastectomy according to the locations of LR. METHODS: This study classified 99 patients into the following two groups according to the location of LR after nipple-sparing mastectomy: nipple-areolar recurrence (NAR) group and other locations of LR (oLR) group. The study evaluated whether the location of LR was associated with disease-free survival (DFS) after LR resection. RESULTS: For about half of the patients (44.4 %) with NAR, the primary cancer was estrogen receptor (ER)-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive. Conversely, in most of the patients with oLR (79.2 %), the primary cancer was ER-positive and HER2-negative. Among the LR tumors, the frequency of noninvasive carcinoma in the NAR tumors was significantly higher than in the oLR tumors (51.9 % vs 4.2 %, respectively). During a median follow-up period of 46 months, the location of LR was not associated with DFS after LR. In the NAR group, the presence or absence of LR tumor invasiveness was the only factor associated with DFS. In the oLR group, age at primary surgery was the only factor associated with DFS. CONCLUSION: This multi-institutional retrospective study demonstrated that the features of NAR, such as the characteristics of the primary and recurrent tumors and the prognostic factors after LR resection, were quite different from those of oLR.

Intraoperative Examination of Retro-Areolar Margin is not Routinely Necessary During Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy for Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative examination of retro-areolar margin (IERM) often is used during nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) for cancer, but there is no robust data regarding its real advantage. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing NSM for cancer with omission of IERM according to institutional protocols from 2016 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The decision to maintain or remove the Nipple-Areola Complex (NAC) after definitive pathology was taken at the multidisciplinary meeting. RESULTS: Among 162 women operated in the study period, the presence of neoplastic cells within 2 mm from the inked retroareolar margin (RAM) was detected at permanent pathology in 17 cases (10.5%). Nipple-Areola-Complex (NAC) was removed postoperatively in five patients (3%) for margins <1 mm, the other 12 were observed, whereas postoperative NAC necrosis required surgical removal in additional five cases (3%). The NAC was thus preserved in 152 of 162 patients (94%). At multivariate analysis, RAM ≤2 mm was associated with radiological tumor-to-nipple distance less than or equal to 1 cm (p = 0.04) and Ki67 label index ≥ 20 (p = 0.04), whereas multifocality/multicentricity showed a trend towards significance (p = 0.07). At a median follow-up of 46 months, five locoregional relapses occurred (3%), only one of them involving the NAC (0, 6%). Locoregional relapse and overall survival for patients with RAM > or < 2 mm were not different. CONCLUSIONS: IERM is not routinely necessary during NSM for cancer, because its omission is associated with a very low return to the operating room, it is oncologically safe, and associated pitfalls are avoided. Further studies are necessary to confirm these findings.

Oncologic Safety of Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy for Breast Cancer in BRCA Gene Mutation Carriers: Outcomes at 70 Months Median Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND: Retention of the nipple-areola complex with nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) techniques provides a more natural cosmetic result than procedures that sacrifice the nipple. While the oncologic safety of NSM is established by several studies, there is little long-term data on outcomes in BRCA mutation carriers with breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: BRCA1/2 mutation carriers who underwent NSM and immediate reconstruction from 2008 to 2019 were reviewed and patients with breast cancer on biopsy or final pathology were included. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics, as well as treatment, recurrence, and survival data were collected. RESULTS: A total of 114 therapeutic NSM were performed in 105 BRCA mutation carriers (56 BRCA1, 47 BRCA2, and two women with both mutations). Median age was 45 years. Cancers were 18% stage 0, 52% stage I, 27% stage II, and 3% stage III. Mean invasive tumor size was 1.6 cm and 33 (35%) invasive tumors were triple negative. There were five (4.4%) positive nipple margins on final pathology; all underwent nipple excision. Most patients (80, 76%) received systemic therapy: 65 (62%) received chemotherapy and 48 (46%) received endocrine therapy. At 70 months median follow-up (range 15-150 months), no patient had developed a recurrence in the retained nipple-areola complex or at the site of a nipple excised for a positive margin. The rate of locoregional recurrence outside the nipple was 2.6%, and the rate of distant recurrence was 3.8%. Overall survival was 96%. CONCLUSIONS: NSM is a safe option for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who undergo mastectomy for breast cancer.

Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Definitive Results with a Long-Term Follow-Up Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is increasingly used for women with breast cancer who are not candidates for conservative surgery. The authors previously reported satisfying results with NSM after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). METHODS: From 2010 to 2020, 1072 women underwent mastectomy at the authors' institution. In this group, 433 NSMs were performed (40%). The only contraindications to NSM were close proximity to the nipple-areola complex (NAC), bloody discharge, and Paget disease. RESULTS: In 112 cases involving 111 women, NSM followed NACT (group 1), whereas it was performed as primary surgery in 321 instances involving 306 women (group 2). At 5 years, local relapse was 7% in group 1 and 2% in group 2, although in the multivariate analysis, locoregional relapses (LRRs) did not differ between the two groups. An increased incidence of local relapse was associated with higher tumor stage (stage III; p = 0.046) and age younger than 51 years (p = 0.038). For 34 (30.3%) of the 111 women in group 1 with a pathologic complete response (pCR), no LRRs were recorded. Only one NAC recurrence was observed. Overall survival with each tumor stage did not differ between the two groups. No differences in complications were observed. Cosmetic results were satisfying in 83.8% of the cases and did not get worse after NACT. CONCLUSIONS: The study data definitively confirm that NSM is safe even after NACT, with good cosmetic results and complications comparable with those in the primary surgery setting. Tumor stage and age were the only independent factors for local relapse. Patients with pCR enjoyed optimal locoregional control.

Mastectomy with Reconstruction Including Robotic Endoscopic Surgery (MARRES): a prospective cohort study of the Korea Robot-Endoscopy Minimal Access Breast Surgery Study Group (KoREa-BSG) and Korean Breast Cancer Study Group (KBCSG).

BACKGROUND: Robotic nipple-sparing mastectomy (RNSM) has emerged as a new treatment option for breast cancer and risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) for women who have a high risk of pathogenic variants. Even though several studies have reported that RNSM is a feasible procedure, some argue that it should only be performed by specialized surgeons, and data on oncologic outcomes and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are limited. Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration and several surgeons warned that robotic breast surgery should be performed only by specialized surgeons and recommended that the benefits, risks, and alternatives of all available treatment options be discussed with patients so they can make informed treatment decisions. The Korea Robot-Endoscopy Minimal Access Breast Surgery Study Group (KoREa-BSG) has been established to evaluate, standardize, and teach this state-of-the-art procedure. We have designed a multicenter prospective cohort study entitled Mastectomy with Reconstruction Including Robot Endoscopic Surgery (MARRES) to report surgical, PRO, and oncologic outcomes. METHODS: MARRES is a multi-institution cohort study prospectively collecting data from patients undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction. The patient inclusion criteria are adult women older than 19 with breast cancer or a high risk of breast cancer (patients with BRCA1/2, TP53, PALB2 mutations, etc.), who have scheduled therapeutic or RRM and want immediate reconstruction. Surgical outcomes, including pre- and postoperative photos, oncologic outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and PRO, are collected. The primary endpoints are postoperative complication rates within 30 postoperative days and the Clavien-Dindo grade of postoperative complications within 180 postoperative days. The secondary endpoints are 5-year postoperative recurrence-free survival and cancer incidence rate (for those who underwent RRM), patient satisfaction with reconstruction expectations preoperative (baseline) and results within 6 to 12 postoperative months, surgeon satisfaction with postoperative results in 6 postoperative months, and cost-effectiveness of the definitive surgery. Patient recruitment will be completed in April 2025, and the target number of enrolled patients is 2000. DISCUSSION: This study will provide evidence about the surgical outcomes, oncologic outcomes, and patient satisfaction with RNSM and endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM), compared with conventional NSM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04585074. Registered April 8, 2020.

Immediate Breast Reconstruction Using the Autologous Dermal Flap.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the development of breast-conserving surgery in breast cancer treatment, there still remain indications for total mastectomy. Since mastectomy has a significant negative impact on the patients' quality of life, breast reconstruction is increasingly popular. However, for patients with large ptotic breasts who do not choose tissue-based reconstruction techniques and prefer implant-based breast reconstruction, there is no single-stage breast reconstruction technique other than the classic technique using Acellular Dermal Matrix (ADM). METHODS: This study presents a novel technique for Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy (NSM) and Immediate Breast reconstruction (IBR) in 11 operations (in seven patients) whose treatment decision-making was based on NCCN guidelines. In this technique, the implant/tissue expander is covered by the pectoral muscle in the upper part and an autologous dermal flap in the lower part, replacing an ADM. The dermal flap is created from the de-epithelialized lower mastectomy flap in these large ptotic breasts. Maintaining the nipple-areola complex (NAC) is possible by re-implanting a free nipple split-thickness graft from the NAC of the ipsilateral breast prepared at the beginning of the operation. RESULTS: All seven patients had large ptotic breasts ranging from C cup to double D in size and grade 2 and higher breast ptosis. The mean BMI of the patients was 28 (range: 26-33). No major complications occurred postoperatively. There were three minor complications, all managed conservatively. Surgical indications were risk reduction surgery in three patients with BRCA mutations and therapeutic in the remaining patients (three multifocal invasive ductal carcinomas and one diffused ductal carcinoma in situ). None of the patients had a previous reduction mammoplasty as preparation for NSM, and all the patients underwent a single operation. No breast tissue remained under the NAC, which is ideal with the NSM technique. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed technique is excellent for implant-based IBR in patients with large ptotic breasts. It eliminates the use of ADM mesh and reduces the cost and postoperative complication rate associated with ADM. Furthermore, using a free nipple graft technique can eliminate the need for a preparatory mastopexy. This technique can also theoretically reduce the risk of recurrence or new primary breast cancer as there are no remaining ducts beneath the nipple-areola complex.

A systematic review of oncological outcomes after nipple-sparing mastectomy for breast cancer.

Nipple-sparing mastectomy is an alternative to skin-sparing mastectomy in select patients. Increasing evidence supports its use in the setting of breast cancer, however concerns still exist regarding oncological safety. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate long-term oncological outcomes of patients who underwent nipple-sparing mastectomy for breast cancer. A systematic review of the literature was performed to evaluate oncological outcomes in patients with breast cancer who underwent nipple-sparing mastectomy. Five major databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane) were searched. The review included all original articles published in English reporting long-term oncological outcomes. 2334 studies were identified. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 17 retrospective studies involving 7107 patients were included. The indication for nipple-sparing mastectomy was invasive carcinoma in 6069 patients (85.4%) and in situ disease in 1038 (14.6%). Median follow up was 48 months (range 25-94). The weighted mean rates of local recurrence and recurrence involving the nipple-areola complex were 5.4% (0.9-11.9) and 1.3% (0-4.9), respectively. The weighted mean distant failure rate was 4.8% (1.5-23.0). Therapeutic nipple-sparing mastectomy is oncologically safe in select patients with breast cancer.

Single-port nipple-sparing subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction for breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: This study compares the perioperative results, aesthetic outcome and oncologic safety of single-port insufflation endoscopic nipple-sparing subcutaneous mastectomy combined with immediate reconstruction using prosthesis implantation (SIE-NSM-IRPI) with those of conventional open-nipple and areola-sparing subcutaneous mastectomy combined with immediate reconstruction using prosthesis implantation (C-NSM-IRPI). METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 64 early-stage breast cancer patients were divided into SIE-NSM-IRPI (n = 38) and C-NSM-IRPI (n = 26) groups. Perioperative results (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, drainage duration, and recent complications) were then compared between the two groups. Differences in satisfaction with the breasts, psychosocial well-being, physical well-being (chest) and sexual well-being were analyzed according to the BREAST-Q scale, and survival outcomes were also compared. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 51.5 months. The incision length of SIE-NSM-IRPI was shorter than that of C-NSM-IRPI (P < 0.001). SIE-NSM-IRPI achieved the same detection rate and median number of sentinel lymph nodes as C-NSM-IRPI (3.00vs. 4.00, P = 0.780). The incidence of prosthesis removal due to infection or prosthesis exposure in the SIE-NSM-IRPI group was lower than that in the C-NSM-IRPI group (P = 0.015). Satisfaction with breasts (82.00vs.59.00, P < 0.001), psychosocial well-being (93.00vs.77.00, P = 0.001) and physical well-being (chest) (89.00vs.82.00, P < 0.001) scores were higher in the SIE-NSM-IRPI group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in disease-free survival (hazard ratio = 0.829, 95% confidence interval = 0.182-3.779) and overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.919, 95% confidence interval = 0.169-21.842). CONCLUSION: In this selected cohort of patients with early breast cancer, SIE-NSM-IRPI was comparable to C-NSM-IRPI, considering oncologic safety and detection of sentinel lymph nodes. It had a lower incidence of prosthesis removal, shorter incision length, and was associated with better patient satisfaction with the breasts. More random clinical trials of this novel approach in a larger cohort of Chinese patients with an extended follow-up period are needed in the future.

High-Risk Breast Lesions Diagnosed by Ultrasound-Guided Vacuum-Assisted Excision.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the role of ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted excision (US-guided VAE) in the treatment of high-risk breast lesions and to evaluate the clinical and US features of the patients associated with recurrence or development of malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April 2010 and September 2021, 73 lesions of 73 patients underwent US-guided VAE and were diagnosed with high-risk breast lesions. The incidence of recurrence or development of malignancy for high-risk breast lesions was evaluated at follow-up period. The clinical and US features of the patients were analyzed to identify the factors affecting the recurrence or development of malignancy rate. RESULTS: Only benign phyllodes tumors on US-guided VAE showed recurrences, while other high-risk breast lesions that were atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), lobular neoplasia (atypical lobular hyperplasia/lobular carcinoma in situ), radial scar, and flat epithelial atypia did not show recurrences or malignant transformation. The recurrence rate of the benign phyllodes tumor was 20.8% (5/24) in a mean follow-up period of 34.3 months. The recurrence rate of benign phyllodes tumor with distance from nipple of less than 1 cm was significantly higher than that of lesions with distance from nipple of more than 1 cm (75% vs. 10%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Benign phyllodes tumors without concurrent breast cancer could be safely followed up instead of surgical excision after US-guided VAE when the lesions were classified as BI-RADS 3 or 4A by US.

Nipple eczema: A systematic review and practical recommendations.

The nipple is the focal point of the human breast and serves important physiological, sexual, and aesthetic purposes. It can be affected by atopic, irritant, and allergic contact eczema, which often reduce the patient's quality of life. The objective of this article is to discuss the different types of nipple eczema and highlight relevant differential diagnoses and treatment options. A systematic search of PubMed was conducted to identify and critically appraise the existing literature on the topic. All articles on nipple eczema were considered eligible, regardless of publication date, language or study design. A final of 33 manuscripts on nipple eczema remained. The scarce literature and the limited number of high-quality manuscripts impedes provision of structured data on nipple eczema. To securely reach the educative value of this manuscript, the systematic review was combined with a manual databank search and selected manual search of textbooks. The differential diagnosis of nipple eczema encompasses among others nipple psoriasis, nipple candidiasis and Paget's disease. In case of diagnostic uncertainty, swabs or biopsies are indicated. Treatment of nipple eczema needs to rapidly control the signs and symptoms of the disease, since it can have a negative effect on quality of life and can lead to premature arrest of breastfeeding. The key treatment step is starting with topical corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors, both of which are considered safe during lactation. Avoidance of provoking factors, such as repetitive friction, chemical agents, or allergens, can help. The use of nipple protection devices can be proposed for nursing women and sometimes adjusting of latch/suck positioning during breastfeeding is needed. Furthermore, patients should be advised to moisturize the nipple intensively and to switch to emollient wash products. Warm water compresses, black tea compresses or commercially available tannin containing topicals can provide comfort.