| Abstract: | BACKGROUND: Experience with conserving surgery for lobular carcinoma has grown as more breast conserving surgeries have been performed. We examined the results of breast conserving therapy in lobular carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined the postoperative positive margin rate, presence or absence of additional surgery, presence or absence of local or systemic recurrence and role of breast helical CT in 25 cases of breast conserving surgery performed at this department from 1991 through June 2003. RESULTS: Among the 303 cases of all breast conserving surgeries, there were 63 case with positive margins (20.8%), but there were 15 of 25 positive margin cases (60.0%) among the lobular carcinoma cases. In 8 of the 15 positive margin cases the technique was changed to mastectomy. One case of recurrence in the breast has been observed thus far. Although the positive margin rate and positive margin rate in infiltrating carcinoma cases tended to decline after the introduction of breast helical CT, the rates remained high. CONCLUSIONS: Since the positive margin rate was significantly high at the time of breast conserving surgery for lobular carcinoma, careful selection of technique based on imaging studies such as breast helical CT and MRI along with careful follow-up is considered necessary. |
