From 1983 to 1990, subcutaneous mastectomy with axillary dissection was carried out for 46 patients with early breast cancer including three bilateral breast cancer patients (four breasts). Cancer cells were recognized histopathologically in the resection margins of small mammary gland resting under the nipple in four cases, and the remaining 42 cases underwent a curative resection. Multicentric lesions were found out histopathologically by continuous sections in five cases (six breasts). There was no difference in the prognosis using the case-control comparison method between 34 patients with ipsilateral invasive carcinoma who underwent a subcutaneous mastectomy in this study group and 34 patients who underwent a radical or modified radical mastectomy in the control group. Cosmetic results of the subcutaneous mastectomy were evaluated in 37 patients, and 9 were excellent, 17 were good, 9 were not so good and 2 were poor. Subcutaneous mastectomy with axillary dissection was an effective operation for early breast cancer including multicentric lesions and some non-invasive ductal carcinomas from the prognostic and cosmetic standpoints.