PurposeIndications for nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) have broadened to include the risk reducing setting and locally advanced tumors, which resulted in a dramatic increase in the use of NSM. The Oncoplastic Breast Consortium consensus conference on NSM and immediate reconstruction was held to address a variety of questions in clinical practice and research based on published evidence and expert panel opinion.MethodsThe panel consisted of 44 breast surgeons from 14 countries across four continents with a background in gynecology, general or reconstructive surgery and a practice dedicated to breast cancer, as well as a patient advocate. Panelists presented evidence summaries relating to each topic for debate during the in-person consensus conference. The iterative process in question development, voting, and wording of the recommendations followed the modified Delphi methodology.ResultsConsensus recommendations were reached in 35, majority recommendations in 24, and no recommendations in the remaining 12 questions. The panel acknowledged the need for standardization of various aspects of NSM and immediate reconstruction. It endorsed several oncological contraindications to the preservation of the skin and nipple. Furthermore, it recommended inclusion of patients in prospective registries and routine assessment of patient-reported outcomes. Considerable heterogeneity in breast reconstruction practice became obvious during the conference.ConclusionsIn case of conflicting or missing evidence to guide treatment, the consensus conference revealed substantial disagreement in expert panel opinion, which, among others, supports the need for a randomized trial to evaluate the safest and most efficacious reconstruction techniques.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s10549-018-4937-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The technique allowed breast conservation in situations requiring large resection of affected skin, with free surgical margins, correction of ptosis, satisfactory symmetry, and few complications.

Sonography is a diagnostic method that can help establish the differentiation between benign and malignant solid tumors. A lack of circumscribed margins, heterogeneous echo patterns, thickened Cooper ligaments, and an increased anteroposterior dimension can indicate a higher probability of malignancy in solid breast nodules.

No abstract

Duct ectasia consists of dilation of the mammary ducts and is clinically manifested as nipple discharge, which is more commonly multiductal, bilateral, and colored. To identify clinical factors that might be related to duct ectasia. A case-control study was carried out on a population of 150 patients divided into two groups. Group 1 (the experimental group) comprised 100 patients with multiductal, bilateral, and colored nipple discharge, clinically representing the nipple secretion of duct ectasia. Group 2 (the control group) was composed of 50 patients without nipple discharge. The odds ratio of duct ectasia was three times higher for current smokers (p=0.04). Likewise, smokers from the duct ectasia group had smoked for a longer time (median 25 months) compared to smokers from the control group (median 15 months) (p=0.02). Parity, history of abortion or termination, breast-feeding, hormonal contraceptive use, and history of breast abscess did not increase the risk for duct ectasia. The group of women with duct ectasia was associated with current tobacco smoking.