Management of breast carcinoma identified intraoperatively during reduction mammaplasty

Before reduction mammaplasty, patients should be assessed for breast cancer risk and evaluated with physical examination and mammography. Patients determined to be at increased risk should be informed of the possibility of occult breast carcinoma and the potential treatment options. Intraoperative discovery of an occult carcinoma may allow for breast conservation therapy under certain circumstances if an appropriate biopsy sample is taken from the tumor and if clear margins are obtained.