[Pathological and anatomical aspects of organ-preserving therapy in the early stages of breast cancer].

In the treatment of breast cancer a worldwide trent towards selective and more individualized methods can be observed. Selective treatment depends to a considerable extend on precise morphological diagnosis. Conservative surgery combined with radiotherapy seems to be justified in cases of smallsized carcinomas of stage T0, N0, M0, and T1, N0, M0. There are different opinions on the adequate treatment of non-infiltrating carcinomas (i.e. intraductal comedo carcinoma, non-infiltrating lobular carcinoma). Up till now standard methods are not applicable. The high frequency of multicentric and bilateral development, and the unfavorable mode of segmental canalicular outgrowth are critical factors that must be taken into consideration for individual therapeutic planning.