Nipple and areolar sparing mastectomy for the treatment of breast cancer

This Cochrane Review concludes that there is low quality evidence on which to decide upon oncological safety of nipple sparing mastectomies when compared to skin sparing mastectomies or standard mastectomies. The authors recommend that “In practice the decision to select nipple-sparing mastectomy over other types of mastectomy should be done through shared decision making after extensive discussion of the risks and benefits. Generally the nipple-sparing mastectomy studies reported a favourable aesthetic result and a gain in quality of life compared with the other types of mastectomy.” When performing therapeutic nipple sparing mastectomies the ABS consider that a shave from behind the nipple allows the pathologist to comment on that specific margin, which, if involved may lead to consideration of nipple excision.

Classifications: Breast & Oncoplastic Surgery

Keywords: Nipple sparing Areolar sparing