Risk factors for nipple involvement in breast cancer patients

Introduction: A clinically normal‐appearing nipple in patients with breast cancer may contain unsuspected neoplastic cells. Preservation of a nipple containing occult malignancy could potentially increase local recurrence rates and affect disease‐free survival. Consequently, patients considered for breast conservation operations with nipple preservation must be carefully selected. Methods: Information available on 382 patients diagnosed and treated with breast cancer at the Clinical Center Nis from 2000 to 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariate hazard analyses was used to assess the association between potential risk factors of cancerous nipple involvement. Results: The frequency of nipple involvement was 12.04%. Nearly half of the patients had disease stage III and IV. Most patients, 29 (63.04%), had a tumor to nipple distance of less then 2 cm. Twenty‐five patients (54.34%) had more then four positive axillary nodes. A central/overlap tumor location was present in 28 (60.87%) patients. Cox multivariate analysis of prognostic factors showed that Stage III (RH 4.79 (1.50–14.68, 1.50–14.72); P= 0.008), central/overlap tumor location (RH 3.28 (0.90–11.20); P= 0.078) and nuclear grade III or greater (RH 2.26 (0.79 to 6.65); P= 0.065) had a statistically significant effect on malign nipple involvement. Conclusions: The multivariable model used in this study showed a significant association between stage, centrally located tumors and nuclear grade III or greater in predicting the risk of cancerous nipple involvement. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scan examinations are recommended for treatment planning of breast cancer, in particular nipple preserving surgery in patients with central/overlap tumor localization and with a tumor to nipple distance of less than 2 cm.