Gentilini O, Botteri E, Rotmensz N et al.
European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 2009;113:577–83.
Editor’s note: The presence of multiple foci of cancer within the same breast has traditionally been considered a contraindication for conservative surgery. Mastectomy is usually proposed for multifocal/multicentric disease, because several series have demonstrated high rates of local recurrence following breast-conserving surgery (BCS). When two separate tumors are located in different quadrants, breast conservation is not usually considered, even in patients with large breasts who might be suitable for a double wide excision. The aims of this study were to retrospectively evaluate the outcomes of patients with multiple invasive breast cancers treated with BCS, with special attention to local control, and to identify predictive factors for disease recurrence in these patients.