Immediate effects of intraoperative evaluation of surgical margins over the treatment of early infiltrating breast carcinoma

Aims and background: Local recurrences in patients submitted to conservative breast treatment for early infiltrating breast carcinomas occur in 5-10% of the cases and are caused mainly by inadequate local resection and remaining residual malignant tissue. The present study was carried out to analyze the effect of intraoperative evaluation of surgical margins and its influence on the immediate surgical management of patients with early breast carcinomas (T1-T2) scheduled to undergo quadrantectomy. Methods: A total of 102 cases were studied. After a classical quadrantectomy, intraoperative evaluation of surgical margins was done by means of macroscopic, cytological and histopathologic analysis. The margins of the resected tissue were examined to assure they were clear or to orient a wider resection. Results: In 64 cases (62.7%), the extent of the quadrant resection was considered adequate and the margins were clear. In 38 cases (37.3%), surgical margins were considered inadequate. An enlarged quadrantectomy was immediately performed in 33 patients (32.4%) and mastectomies in 5 (4.9%). Conclusions: Intraoperative evaluation of surgical margins frequently modifies the surgical management of patients who were initially prepared to be submitted to a quadrantectomy, indicating the need for further resection in the form of an enlarged quadrantectomy or mastectomy.