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Peripheral nonlactational abscesses behave like other soft tissue abscesses and resolve with drainage and antibiotics. Subareolar abscesses tend to recur or develop fistulae between obstructed ducts and the border of the areola and are usually seen in women in their thirties who have a history of smoking or a congenitally cleft nipple. The underlying cause of subareolar abscesses and fistulae is the obstruction of terminal ducts due to keratin plugging caused by squamous metaplasia of the ducts. Successful resolution of the problem requires excision of the terminal ducts in and just below the nipple along with the correction of nipple deformity, if present.

Purpose To evaluate cosmetic outcome and radiation recall in the American Society of Breast Surgeons registry trial, as a function of the interval between accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) and initiation of chemotherapy (CTX). Methods and Materials A total of 1440 patients at 97 institutions participated in this trial. After lumpectomy for early-stage breast cancer, patients received APBI (34 Gy in 10 fractions) with MammoSite RTS brachytherapy. A total of 148 patients received CTX within 90 days of APBI. Cosmetic outcome was evaluated at each follow-up visit and dichotomized as excellent/good or fair/poor. Results Chemotherapy was initiated at a mean of 3.9 weeks after the final MammoSite procedure and was administered ≤3 weeks after APBI in 54 patients (36%) and >3 weeks after APBI in 94 patients (64%). The early and delayed groups were well balanced with respect to multiple factors that may impact on cosmetic outcome. There was a superior cosmetic outcome in those receiving chemotherapy >3 weeks after APBI (excellent/good in 72.2% at ≤3 weeks vs. excellent/good in 93.8% at >3 weeks; p = 0.01). Radiation recall in those receiving CTX at ≤3 weeks was 9 of 50 (18%), compared with 6 of 81(7.4%) in those receiving chemotherapy at >3 weeks ( p = 0.09). Conclusion The majority of patients receiving CTX after APBI have excellent/good cosmetic outcomes, with a low rate of radiation recall. Chemotherapy initiated >3 weeks after the final MammoSite procedure seems to be associated with a better cosmetic outcome and lower rate of radiation recall. An excellent/good cosmetic outcome in patients receiving CTX after 3 weeks was similar to the cosmetic outcome of the overall patient population who did not receive CTX.

Background This study compared the surgical results of 2 localization methods—cryo-assisted localization (CAL) and needle-wire localization (NWL)—in patients undergoing breast lumpectomy for breast cancer. Methods A total of 310 patients were treated in an institutional review board–approved study with 18 surgeons at 17 sites. Patients were randomized 2:1 to undergo either intraoperative CAL or NWL. A cryoprobe was inserted under ultrasound guidance in the operating room and an ice ball created an 8- to 10-mm margin around the lesion. The palpable ice ball then was dissected. NWL was placed according to institutional practice and resection was performed in a standard fashion. Surgical margins, complications, re-excisions, tissue volume, procedure times, ease of localization, specimen quality, and patient satisfaction were evaluated. Positive margins were defined as any type of disease present 1 mm or less from any specimen edge. Results Positive margin status did not differ between the 2 groups (28% vs. 31%). The volume of tissue removed was significantly less in the CAL group (49 vs. 66 mL, P = .002). Re-excisions were similar in both groups. CAL was superior in ease of lumpectomy, quality of specimen, acute surgical cosmesis, short-term cosmesis, patient satisfaction, and overall procedure time for the patient. CAL had a lower invasive positive margin rate (11% vs. 20%, P = .039) but a higher observed ductal carcinoma in situ–positive margin rate (30% vs. 18%, approaching statistical significance, P = .052). Conclusions CAL is a preferred alternative to standard wire localization because it provides a palpable template, removes less tissue and improves cosmesis, decreases overall procedure time, and is more convenient for the patient and surgeon.

Background A subset analysis of the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBS) Registry Trial of patients with ductal carcinoma-in-situ (DCIS) was performed to compare results to patients receiving accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) for invasive tumors and to results in patients with DCIS receiving whole breast irradiation. Methods One hundred ninety-four cases of DCIS were identified from a total of 1,449 cancers treated on the ASBS Registry Trial. Details of the trial are previously published. Analysis of the entire group of cases was performed in regards to toxicity and local control. Results Median age was 62.1 years with 40.1% and 10.9% younger than 60 years and 50 years, respectively. Nuclear grade distribution was 35.6%, 31.4%, 17%, and 16% high, intermediate, low grade, and unknown, respectively. Necrosis was known to be present 42.3% of cases. Comedo/solid architecture was known to be present in 68% of cases. Median tumor size was 8.0 mm (range .1–45 mm, 15.5% unknown). Median margin was 2 mm; 2 cases had positive margins and 56 cases had less than 1-mm margins. The median follow-up time was 46.7 months. Five isolated ipsilateral breast failures occurred. The actuarial isolated ipsilateral breast failure rate was 2.45% at 4 years. The total in-breast 4-year actuarial failure rate was 3.0%. Three of the patients had a failure elsewhere (1.69% 4-year actuarial rate). Three of the failures were true recurrences (1.33% 4-year actuarial rate). Infection occurred in 16 patients for an 8.2% rate. Seroma formation was reported in 31%, with 13% and 12% symptomatic and requiring intervention, respectively. Seroma formation was statistically higher in open versus closed cases for all seromas. Cosmetic outcome was good to excellent in 90.3% of patients with evaluation at 36 months. Conclusions The ASBS Registry Trial includes the largest published collection of DCIS treated with APBI. Four-year follow-up shows result similar to those with invasive cancer treated with APBI, as well as DCIS treated with whole breast irradiation.