Nipple-sparing mastectomy for breast cancer close to the nipple: a single institution’s 11-year experience

Background This study aimed to analyze our 11-year experience using NSM with immediate breast reconstruction in breast cancer. Methods Between January 2007 and December 2015, 251 NSMs were performed on 251 women with breast cancer for therapeutic purpose at Pusan National University Hospital. Results The clinical and pathologic mean tumor size was 3.1 cm. Based on preoperative imaging, mean distance between tumor and nipple was 2.5 cm. Among 251 tumors, 119 cases (47.4%) and 69 cases (27.5%) with a distances ≤ 2 cm and ≤ 1 cm, respectively, were detected. There were 11 patients (4.4%) with locoregional recurrences during the mean follow-up period of 68.0 months. Of these 11 cases, one (0.4%) had local recurrence in the retained NAC, and the others had recurrence in the chest wall or skin. Conclusion Unless clinical and histological evidence of nipple involvement, NSM can be an oncologically safe surgical option for breast cancer, even if the tumor is located close to the nipple.