Surveillance is safe for a particular type of noncancerous breast lesion that is typically treated surgically, according to a study published online October 31 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
In most cases, a type of high-risk lesion called flat epithelial atypia can be tracked over time rather than surgically removed on detection, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found.
The team led by Dr. Leslie Lamb reviewed the medical records of 208 patients diagnosed with flat epithelial atypia over a nine-year period. After mammography, biopsy, and surgery, only five cases (2.4%) were upgraded to breast cancer at surgery, specifically ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Of the 208 patients, 30% had lesions that were recategorized as higher risk but noncancerous.
"Surveillance, rather than surgery, is a good option for women with [flat epithelial atypia] lesions who do not have a genetic mutation and are not interested in chemoprevention," senior author Dr. Constance Lehman said in a statement released by the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBS).
