Selection of patients for heterotopic implantation of the areola and nipple.

In a prospective analysis of 291 specimens taken at mastectomy for carcinoma, 48 contained tumor in the nipple-areola complex. The characteristics of greater tumor size, higher frequency of lymph node involvement, midbreast tumor location and multifocality of tumor correlated well with the probability of involvement of the nipple. The findings emphasize the importance of close clinical and histopathologic examination of the nipple and areola when preservation of the nipple is being considered.