Nipple-sparing mastectomy: critical assessment of 51 procedures and implications for selection criteria.

Background Retrospective studies have shown that occult nipple–areolar complex (NAC) involvement in breast cancer is low, occurring in 6–10% of women undergoing skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM). The cosmetic result and high patient satisfaction of nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) has prompted further evaluation of the oncologic safety of this procedure.