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A historical review revealed conflicting opinions regarding the risk of breast cancer in those women with benign lesions therefore a group of 604 women who had had portions of a breast removed as a result of various symptoms were followed for 5 or more years. The incidence of carcinoma was compared with that of the general population. The average follow-up period was 9.3 years. In 30 (2.6%) of them cancer developed in a total of 5647 risk-years. Chronic mastitis had been diagnosed in 173 cases chronic cystic mastitis in 340 cases adenocystoma in 21 cases and adenofibroma in 70 cases. 347 of these lesions had been treated by incomplete mastectomy; complete local mastectomy was done in 163 cases. Adenocystomas were more frequently followed by cancer than adenomas. The breast cancer mortality rate in Massachusettes for all women over age 30 has been 59.3/100000. The rate was significantly higher for single women 78.1 vs. 55.5 for those not single. The breast cancer attack rate has been .12/100 for Massachusetts women over 30 years of age but .47/100 for those with chronic mastitis .33/100 for those with chronic cystic mastitis and .38/100 for all cases studied. The cancer rate for women with preexisting breast lesions was estimated to be 4.5 as great as for all women. This predominance was especially marked in the decades below 50 years of age. In the age group 30-49 years it was increased 11.7 times. In the group over age 50 it was 2.5 times as great. The risk is not sufficiently great to warrant bilateral mastectomy in cases of chronic mastitis or chronic cystic mastitis. Simple mastectomy is indicated if additional nodules or cysts develop.