Annals of surgery
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We analyzed 382 patients with pure lobular carcinoma treated up to 2002 with sufficient follow-up to draw prognostic conclusions, all treated by conservative surgery. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of margin status on outcomes with a view assessing the appropriateness of conservative surgery in this breast cancer subtype. ⋯ We conclude that the surgical approach and criteria for adjuvant hormonal and systemic treatment in lobular carcinoma should be the same as for ductal carcinoma, provided that adequate preoperative investigations exclude extensive multifocal and contralateral disease.