Approach to histopathological incidental lesions after reduction mammoplasty

Background: The importance of analyzing tissue removed during reduction mammoplasty in healthy and asymptomatic patients has been emphasized in many publications. Pathological analysis can reveal many important findings that may be used to determine the patient’s risk of breast cancer. Methods: The pathology findings of patients who underwent reduction mammoplasty and mastopexy due to breast asymmetry and/or breast hypertrophy between January 1995 and May 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: A total of 283 women underwent breast reduction during the study period (560 breasts). Of all of the specimens, 273 had histopathological findings, most of which were fibrocystic breast tissue pattern (85.71%). In 11 specimens, 16 lesions considered proliferative in nature were detected. The mean follow-up period of the proliferative lesions was 6.1 years. No malignancy was observed during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Age is not the only significant factor affecting pathology results. Risk factors should be determined and imaging findings should be considered as well. Every reduction mammoplasty procedure should be regarded as an opportunity for screening the breast tissue of the candidates. Level of evidence: Level IV, risk/prognostic study.