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CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 28, 130-140, Copyright © 1978 by American Cancer Society

Non-Lactational Nipple Discharge

¹ Attending Surgeon, Breast Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
² Surgical Fellow, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York.

Spontaneous non-lactational nipple discharge is usually of pathologic origin. Although the majority of patients presenting with this entity prove to have benign intraductal papillomas, papillomatosis and stasis, this condition can be accompanied by occult carcinoma in approximately 10 percent of patients with nipple discharge.

We prefer to utilize complete excision of the major duct system as a diagnostic and therapeutic measure for patients with spontaneous non-lactational nipple discharge. This procedure is particularly applicable to patients who have subareolar abscess with periareolar sinus tract formation. Good cosmetic appearance can be obtained with a radial incision (Figs. 3 and 4) and a somewhat improved appearance with a circumareolar incision. (Fig. 5.) The latter is particularly useful for those patients with only minimal involvement of the duct system of the nipple.