Radiotherapy following mastectomy: indication and contraindication of chest wall irradiation

Purpose: To determine in which cases radiotherapy of the chest wall following mastectomy is indicated, based on the local recurrent rate in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.

Methods and Materials: From 1984 until 1994, 105 patients who had four or more histopathologically confirmed axillary nodes metastases, or T3-4Nany, were subjected to mastectomy and were administered radiotherapy postoperatively using the hockey-stick field, which included the ipsilateral supraclavicular fossa and internal mammary nodes, except the chest wall. Median age was 51 years old (range, 23 to 82 years old). Eighty-five patients underwent radical mastectomy, 18 modified radical mastectomy, and 2 extended radical mastectomy. Fraction size was 2 Gy/day, the weekly fraction size was 10 Gy and the total dose ranged from 44 Gy to 54 Gy (median 50 Gy). Seventy-four patients were administered adjuvant chemotherapy, and 61 patients were administered hormone therapy.

Results: The 5-year disease-free survival rates of the whole study population were 66%. The 5-year chest wall recurrence rates were 10%. The 5-year chest wall recurrence rates of the patients who had no vascular invasion (n = 19) and the patients who had definite vascular invasion (n = 38) were 0% and 24%, respectively (p = 0.036). All the patients who presented chest wall recurrence had four or more axillary nodes metastases. Nine of the 10 patients who presented chest wall recurrence had definite vascular invasion, while there was no information about vascular invasion for the remaining patient. Factors such as age, pathological subtypes, tumor location, estrogen receptors, extent of resection, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy did not influence the development of chest wall recurrence.

Conclusion: Among patients with breast cancer who have four or more positive axillary nodes or T3-4Nany, those who have no vascular invasion or less than 4 axillary nodes metastases do not need to be subjected to chest wall irradiation after radical mastectomy.     

Prognostic-significance of multifocality in primary breast-cancer

The impact of multicentricity in primary breast cancer on relapse or death after radical or modified radical mastectomy was evaluated in 1336 consecutive patients. Multiple tumor foci were found in 11.7% of breast cancers: in 8.4% multicentricity was infiltrating, while in 3.3% of cases an in situ growth pattern was observed. There was a statistically significant association between multicentric primaries and lobular infiltrating carcinoma, age less than or equal to 50 years, large tumors and metastatic axillary nodes, while no relationship was observed with histological grade. Both 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were shorter in patients with infiltrating multicentric primary tumors. Multivariate analysis confirmed the prognostic role of infiltrating multicentric tumors after adjusting for nodal status, tumor size, age and adjuvant therapy.     

Surgical treatment of carcinoma of the breast. V. Changes in patient population and therapeutic modalities at a metropolitan hospital (1971-1980)

This is a retrospective study of 408 patients who had mastectomy for carcinoma of the breast during 1971-1980. Over these 10 years, we have had a significant increase in Hispanic patients. Although the mean size of breast tumors among the Hispanic patients was smaller than that of our black patients, Hispanic patients are more likely to have higher numbers of positive axillary lymph nodes. Similar to the nationwide trend, over 90% of the patients had modified radical mastectomy in recent years, and adjuvant systemic chemotherapy has replaced postoperative radiotherapy for patients with axillary metastasis. Postmastectomy actuarial 5-year relapse rates of our patients with none or 1-3 positive axillary nodes were quite similar. Among patients with 1-3 positive axillary nodes, year of diagnosis and whether postoperative radiotherapy or chemotherapy was added or not did not affect disease-free probability. However, among patients who had four or more positive axillary nodes, those who were admitted after 1976 and who received systemic chemotherapy (90% had CMF) had a much lower probability of developing recurrence.     

男性乳腺癌的诊断与治疗

目的探讨男性乳腺癌的诊断与治疗方法。方法回顾性总结男性乳腺癌３２例,中位年龄５４岁。分析了男性乳腺癌的诊断、治疗及预后。结果临床Ⅰ期７例,Ⅱ期１７例,Ⅲ期７例,Ⅳ期１例。３２例患者中,３１例有乳腺肿块。腋窝淋巴结转移率５７．１％。总５年生存率６５．６％,根治术与改良根治术后患者５年生存率分别为６８．４％及６６．７％,非根治术患者５年生存率为５７．１％。结论对于确诊为乳腺癌患者首选改良根治术根据患者不同情况辅以放射治疗、化疗或内分泌治疗     

The incidence of lung carcinoma after surgery for breast carcinoma with and without postoperative radiotherapy. Results of National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) clinical trials B-04 and B-06

BACKGROUND: In the current study, the authors compared the incidence of subsequent primary lung carcinoma in patients with breast carcinoma who received radiotherapy as part of their treatment and in those patients who did not. The patients were participants in two large National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) breast carcinoma trials, B-04 and B-06, which prospectively randomized women to either undergo surgery alone or to undergo surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. METHODS: The NSABP trial B-04 (1971-1974) randomized patients to undergo radical mastectomy versus total (simple) mastectomy and radiotherapy to the chest wall, axilla, and supraclavicular and internal mammary lymph node areas. For patients with a clinically uninvolved axilla, there was a third randomization arm: total mastectomy without radiotherapy. The B-06 trial (1976-1984) randomized patients between those undergoing total mastectomy versus lumpectomy versus those undergoing lumpectomy and breast irradiation, with all patients undergoing an axillary lymph node dissection. The records of all patients who developed a recurrence in the lung or a new primary lung tumor were reviewed to determine the incidence and laterality of confirmed and probable primary lung carcinoma. RESULTS: For the 1665 evaluable patients on the NSABP B-04 trial (mean follow-up of 21.4 years), there was a total of 23 subsequent confirmed and probable ipsilateral or contralateral primary lung carcinomas. In those patients who had received comprehensive postmastectomy radiotherapy, there was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of these new primary tumors (P = 0.029). With regard to the development of confirmed new primary ipsilateral lung carcinoma alone, the incidence was statistically significantly increased (P = 0.013) in those patients who had received radiotherapy as part of their treatment, and when confirmed and probable ipsilateral lung carcinomas were analyzed, there was a strong trend toward a statistically significant increase in those patients who had received radiotherapy (P = 0.066). For the 1850 evaluable patients on the NSABP trial B-06 (mean follow-up of 19.0 years), there was a total of 30 second primary lung carcinomas but no increase in either ipsilateral or contralateral primary tumors of the lung in those patients who had received radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Extensive postmastectomy irradiation of the chest wall and regional lymphatic node areas, with consequent exposure of a greater volume of lung to higher doses as administered in the NSABP B-04 trial compared with postlumpectomy breast irradiation in the NSABP B-06 trial, was associated with an increased incidence of subsequent primary lung tumors, both ipsilateral and contralateral.     

乳腺癌术后胸壁复发85 例分析

 目的　探讨乳腺癌术后胸壁局部复发因素及预后意义。方法　回顾性分析乳腺癌术后胸壁局部复发患者 85例。结果　本组患者占同期全部乳腺癌病例的 3.5 9% ,其中 5 5例 (6 4.7%复发发生在手术后 2年内 ,复发后 39例 (4 5 .9% ) ,2年内死亡。结论　临床分期晚、腋下淋巴结癌转移数多、原发灶见脉管癌栓患者术后胸壁复发率高 ;原发灶雌激素受体 (ER)及孕激素受体 (PR)阴性患者 ,复发多出现在术后第 1、2年内。对乳腺癌术后易复发的高危人群除应规范化治疗 ,还应实施适时胸壁放疗。     

Efficacy of internal mammary node dissection in the treatment of breast cancer.

The present study compares clinical and pathological findings and survival data from 410 patients who have undergone extended radical mastectomies in our hospital during the 20 years from 1967 with those derived from 261 who underwent mastectomies without dissections of the internal mammary nodes, in order to determine the value of additional internal mammary node dissection following standard radical mastectomy. Extended radical mastectomy was used in 289 of 361 (80.1%) patients with medial tumors, and in 121 of 310 (39.0%) with lateral tumors. Metastases to the internal mammary nodes were found in 18.5% (76) of all patients, in 20.4% (59) of the patients with medial tumors and in 14.0% (17) of those with lateral tumors. Of the patients with medial tumors, internal mammary node metastases were found in seven of 44 (15.9%) at TNM Stage I, and the rate of metastases rose with advances in stage. Internal mammary node metastases alone, without those to the axillary nodes, were found in 14 patients (4.8%) with medial tumors and in two with lateral tumors. The 10-year survival rate in patients with medial tumors and metastases to the internal mammary nodes only was 67.0%, which was as good as that in patients with metastases to the axillary nodes only. In conclusion, extended radical mastectomy was valuable in the treatment of relatively early medial breast cancer at TNM Stages I and II.     

Surgical treatment of carcinoma of the breast. I. Pathological finding and pattern of relapse

This is a retrospective review of 476 patients who had mastectomy for carcinoma of the breast during 1971-1980. There is a positive correlation of size of the primary tumor and the incidence of axillary nodal metastasis. Infiltrating ductal and lobular carcinoma had a significantly higher incidence of nodal metastasis (and greater change of having four or more positive nodes) than that of medullary and colloid carcinomas. Colloid carcinoma smaller than 4 cm and the less common histological subtypes (comedo, tubular, papillary carcinomas) rarely metastasizes. At a median follow-up time of 53 months, 23% of patients with infiltrating ductal, lobular, or medullary carcinomas and who did not have nodal metastasis had relapse, while 50% of those with nodal involvement had relapse. Among those who relapsed, 18% initially had only locoregional recurrence, 60% had distant metastasis, and 22% had both types.     

Is invasive lobular carcinoma different from invasive ductal carcinoma?

AIMS: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the histopathologic features and outcome in invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) are different, and whether the histologic type is a prognostic factor for outcome. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in consecutive 510 stage I/II breast carcinoma patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy. The features of 65 patients with ILC were compared with those of 445 patients with IDC. In patients with median follow-up period of 44 months, univariate and multivariate prognostic factor analyses for cancer-specific death and relapse were carried out. RESULTS: The median ages in patients with ILC and those with IDC were 52 and 41 (P=0.04). Tumor size, estrogen receptor positive expression and nodal positivity were not significantly different between the histologic types. Patients with ILC had more frequently (81.5%) low grade tumors and less lymphatic vascular invasion (9.3%) in primary tumor than those with IDC (P<0.05). Whereas the rates of 5-year overall survival were 94% in ILC and 90% in IDC, the rates of 5-year event-free survival were 71 and 67%, respectively (P=NS). Multivariate analyses in all patients demonstrated that tumor size, pathologic lymph node status and age at diagnosis were the most important prognostic factors for overall and event-free survival. Histologic type was not statistically significant for both outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Although patients with ILC had older age, low grade tumor and less lymphatic vascular invasion, they had no survival advantage comparing with their counterparts. Histologic type was not an independent prognostic factor for outcome.     

Operable Breast Cancer： a Clinical Analysis of 6,263 Cases

OBJECTIVE In Europe and America breast cancer commonly occurs in women of middle and old age, with a median age of about 57 years. Modified radical mastectomy now called standard radical mastectomy, has taken the place of traditional radical mastectomy. Patients with breast cancer at an early stage commonly receive BCT (breast conservative therapy). The TNM stage (especially the lymph node status) affects the prognosis, and adjuvant therapy can improve survival. In China, only a few reports have been pubIished studying large numbers of breast cancer patients. This study was designed to analyze the clinical features, surgical pattern and treatment outcome of resectable breast cancer, as well as to explore the prognostic factors and the effect of adjuvant therapy, with a goal to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment.METHODS Records of the 6,263 patients with resectable breast cancer who had been admitted into our hospital from June 1964 to June 2003 were analyzed retrospectively.RESULTS Of the 6,263 cases, 98.8% were female. Breast cancer occurred most frequently in patients of ages 40～49 years (41.0%), especially in patients 45～49 years old (25.2%). A breast lump, which occurred in 96.2% of the patients, was the main clinical manifestation. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 75.16% and 40.44%. Of the patients in TNM stages 0-1,Ⅱ, and Ⅲ, the 5-year survival rates were 96.8%, 73.7% and 46.4% respectively and the 10-year survival rates were 78.7%, 64.6% and 33.5% respectively. The 5-, and 10-year survival rates were higher in the lymph node negative group than in the lymph node positive group (80.3% vs. 55.6%, and 59.2% vs. 31.9%, P＜0.01). Since the 1980s there was no significant difference in survival rates of patients who received a radical mastectomy compared to a modified radical mastectomy(P＞0.05). Of the 73 patients who underwent breast conservative therapy, no local recurrence or metastasis occurred during a maximal follow-up of 17 years. Of the patients in stage T2T4, the 5-, and 10-year survival rates were significantly higher in the group treated with adjuvant chemotherapy compared to the non-chemotherapy group (78.2% vs. 60.1%, and 48.9% vs. 30.7%, P＜0.01).CONCLUSION According to our data, breast cancer most frequently occurred in patients of ages 45～49 years. The TNM stage (especially the lymph node status) relates to breast cancer prognosis. The prognosis was worse in patients with positive lymph nodes compared to the patients with negative lymph nodes. The efficacy of a modified radical mastectomy is equal to that of a radical mastectomy, and breast conservative therapy can be applied to patients in an early stage. Adjuvant chemotherapy and endocrine therapy can improve the survival of resectable breast cancer patients.     

Outcome of special types of luminal breast cancer

BackgroundThe identification of special types of breast cancer might be of value in assessing prognosis and predicting response to therapy.MethodsA total of 7372 consecutive patients with immunohistochemically defined luminal invasive breast cancer operated at the European Institute of Oncology between 1997 and 2005 were included. We then explored patterns of recurrence by histological type. Median follow-up was 5.8 years.ResultsTumors from 5707 patients were classified as invasive ductal cancer (IDC) not otherwise specified (NOS), 851 lobular, 338 mixed ductal and lobular, 250 cribriform, 143 mucinous and 83 tubular carcinomas. Compared with IDC NOS disease-free survival (DFS) was significantly longer in patients with cribriform tumors [5-year DFS 97.9% versus 87.4%; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.48; P = 0.015) and in pooled cribriform plus tubular carcinomas (5-year DFS 98.7% versus 87.4%; HR = 0.45; P = 0.005). Mucinous tumors presented similar DFS if compared with IDC (5-year DFS 93 % versus 87.4%; HR = 1.03; P = 0.91). Conversely, DFS was poorer for patients with lobular carcinoma (5-year DFS 86.8% versus 87.4%; HR = 1.27; P = 0.01).ConclusionsThe diagnosis of tubular, cribriform and lobular carcinomas carry distinct prognostic implications. The identification of these special types has a significant utility in luminal breast cancer and should be considered in therapeutic algorithms.     

Radiation therapy following mastectomy for axillary node-positive breast cancer: indication of chest wall irradiation

This retrospective study was conducted to determine the indication of chest wall irradiation following mastectomy in axillary node-positive breast cancer patients. Between 1982 and 1993, 103 women with axillary node-positive breast cancer received postoperative radiation therapy following mastectomy using the hockey-stick field, which included the ipsilateral supraclavicular fossa and internal mammary nodes, without the chest wall. Ages ranged from 33 to 73 years (median: 47). Thirty-five patients underwent modified radical mastectomy, 48 radical mastectomy, and 20 extended radical mastectomy. Twenty-two patients had 1-3 positive axillary nodes, and 81 had 4 or more positive axillary nodes. The total doses ranged from 42 to 64 Gy (median 54 Gy) with a daily fraction size of 2 Gy. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 75 patients, and hormone therapy was administered to 78 patients. The median follow-up time was 121 months (range, 68-191 months) for the 57 surviving patients. The actuarial overall survival rate and the chest wall control rate at 10 years for all patients were 55% and 85%, respectively. Of the 103 patients, 14 developed chest wall recurrence. In the analysis, status of vascular invasion alone had a significant impact on chest wall control. In patients with definite vascular invasion, 2 of 5 (40%) patients with 1 to 3 positive axillary nodes, and 10 of 31 (32%) with 4 or more positive axillary nodes developed chest wall recurrence. In contrast, no patients without definite vascular invasion developed chest wall recurrence. Factors such as age, menopausal status, pathology, tumor location, extent of resection, estrogen receptor status, total dose, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy did not influence the development of chest wall recurrence. Among node-positive breast cancer patients following mastectomy, those with definite vascular invasion should be delivered chest wall irradiation regardless of the number of positive axillary nodes. In contrast, those without definite vascular invasion need not be administered chest wall irradiation.     

乳腺癌淋巴结转移规律对术后放射治疗设野的影响

目的 探讨乳腺癌淋巴结转移规律和乳腺癌根治术后放射治疗的适应证及照射范围。方法 行选择性胸膜外式乳腺癌扩大根治术78例,分析其中资料完整的61例,探讨内乳淋巴结的转移情况。非选择性乳腺癌根治术 锁骨上淋巴结清扫术46例,术前检查锁骨上淋巴结均为阴性,将锁骨上淋巴结及腑窝淋巴结分别标记为S及L1、L2、L3送检。行乳腺癌根治术412例,标记出L1、L2、L3淋巴结分别送检,用以分析腋窝淋巴结跳跃式转移的规律。结果 内乳淋巴结总的转移率为24.6%,其中腋窝淋巴结转移者,内乳淋巴结转移率为36.7%,而腋窝淋巴结无转移者,内乳淋巴结转移率为12.9%,转移部位仅限于1、2、3肋间。锁骨上淋巴结跳跃式转移率为3.8%;腋窝淋巴结的跳跃式转移率为8.1%。结论 乳腺癌淋巴结转移有其内在规律,乳腺癌根治术后照射野可以依据其区域淋巴结的转移规律进行修改,照射内乳区淋巴结时可以不必常规包括4、5肋间。当腋窝淋巴结仅有L1、L2组转移而无L3组转移时,锁骨上淋巴结区也可以不予照射。     

Axillary lymph node metastases in patients with occult noninvasive breast carcinoma

This report describes 8 cases of women who, when first examined, manifested metastatic mammary carcinoma in axillary lymph nodes. At mastectomy, the only demonstrable carcinoma was noninvasive (lobular, 4 patients; duct, 3 patients; duct and lobular, 1 patient) in so far as could be determined by means of light microscopic examination. In 2 cases treated more than five years ago, the patients were free of disease when last seen seven and 11 years postoperatively. It is possible that in these unusual cases, obscure foci of invasion were not found despite exhaustive histologic examination of the entire breast. Alternatively, metastases may have developed in the absence of invasion demonstrable by means of light microscopic examination. Results of electron microscopic studies as reported by others have documented extension of carcinoma cells through the basement membrane when this was not apparent in histologic sections. We have recently studied a series of patients with preinvasive breast carcinoma and observed metastatic breast carcinoma in axillary lymph nodes in 1% of these cases. The finding of carcinoma that appears histologically to be entirely preinvasive, whether duct or lobular in type, in a breast biopsy specimen does not entirely preclude the possibility of metastases in axillary lymph nodes.     

Repeat lumpectomy for patients with ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence after breast-conserving surgery. Preliminary results

In this study, we assessed the appropriateness of conducting repeat lumpectomy for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) based on the characteristics of recurrence after primary breast conserving surgery (BCS). Of 41 patients who had developed IBTR from October 1986 to June 2000 at our institute, 11 underwent mastectomy of the remaining breast and 30 underwent repeat lumpectomy. The 5-year overall survival rate at a median follow-up of 43 months after salvage surgery was 90.9% for the mastectomy group and 90.0% for the lumpectomy group. The 5-year distant disease-free survival rate was 70.1% for the mastectomy group and 83.0% for the lumpectomy group. The survival rates were remarkably high in both treatment groups, with no significant difference between them. IBTRs in the majority of our patients were small lesions less than 1 cm in diameter. They did not feature lymphatic invasion and had low histological grade. Compared with that of primary lesions, the malignancy of recurrent tumors was not increased in many patients. In contrast to these preferable features, 9 of 30 patients who underwent repeat lumpectomy developed second local relapse within 3 years after salvage operation. Young age (相似文献   

Lymphatic vessel invasion is an independent prognostic factor for survival in colorectal cancer

To assess whether lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 462 patients who underwent potentially curative surgery for carcinoma of the colon and rectosigmoid/rectum (rs/rectum) at the New England Deaconess Hospital from 1965-1978. Sixty-one patients were identified as having tumors with lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI+), and they were compared with the remaining group of 401 patients who had tumors without lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI-). The incidence of lymphatic vessel invasion was significantly increased in tumors with blood vessel invasion (24% vs. 5%, p = 0.000001). Patients with LVI+ tumors also had a significantly increased incidence of positive nodes (59% vs. 25%, p = 0.0004), the average number of positive nodes (4.8 vs. 2.2, p = 0.0003), and a lower 5-year survival rate (colon: 57% vs. 84%, p = 0.0001; rs/rectum: 38% vs. 71%, p = 0.004). There was a significant (p less than or equal to 0.05) increase in local (16% vs. 7%), abdominal (33% vs. 9%), and distant (13% vs. 4%) failure as a component of component of failure in patients with LVI+ colon cancer and a significant increase in abdominal (33% vs. 11%) and distant (13% vs. 8%) failure as a component of failure in patients with LVI+ rectosigmoid/rectal cancer. Proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that lymphatic vessel invasion was an independent prognostic factor for survival.     

Locoregional failure of postmastectomy patients with 1-3 positive axillary lymph nodes without adjuvant radiotherapy

PURPOSE: To analyze the incidence and risk factors for locoregional recurrence (LRR) in patients with breast cancer who had T1 or T2 primary tumor and 1-3 histologically involved axillary lymph nodes treated with modified radical mastectomy without adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April 1991 and December 1998, 125 patients with invasive breast cancer were treated with modified radical mastectomy and were found to have 1-3 positive axillary nodes. The median number of nodes examined was 17 (range 7-33). Of the 125 patients, 110, who had no adjuvant RT and had a minimum follow-up of 25 months, were included in this study. Sixty-nine patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and 84 received adjuvant hormonal therapy with tamoxifen. Patient-related characteristics (age, menopausal status, medial/lateral quadrant of tumor location, T stage, tumor size, estrogen/progesterone receptor protein status, nuclear grade, extracapsular extension, lymphovascular invasion, and number of involved axillary nodes) and treatment-related factors (chemotherapy and hormonal therapy) were analyzed for their impact on LRR. The median follow-up was 54 months. RESULTS: Of 110 patients without RT, 17 had LRR during follow-up. The 4-year LRR rate was 16.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.1-23.1%). All but one LRR were isolated LRR without preceding or simultaneous distant metastasis. According to univariate analysis, age <40 years (p = 0.006), T2 classification (p = 0.04), tumor size >==3 cm (p = 0.002), negative estrogen receptor protein status (p = 0.02), presence of lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.02), and no tamoxifen therapy (p = 0.0006) were associated with a significantly higher rate of LRR. Tumor size (p = 0.006) was the only risk factor for LRR with statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. On the basis of the 4 patient-related factors (age <40 years, tumor >==3 cm, negative estrogen receptor protein, and lymphovascular invasion), the high-risk group (with 3 or 4 factors) had a 4-year LRR rate of 66.7% (95% CI 42.8-90.5%) compared with 7.8% (95% CI 2.2-13.3%) for the low-risk group (with 0-2 factors; p = 0.0001). For the 110 patients who received no adjuvant RT, LRR was associated with a 4-year distant metastasis rate of 49.0% (9 of 17, 95% CI 24.6-73.4%). For patients without LRR, it was 13.3% (15 of 93, 95% CI 6.3-20.3%; p = 0.0001). The 4-year survival rate for patients with and without LRR was 75.1% (95% CI 53.8-96.4%) and 88.7% (95% CI 82.1-95.4%; p = 0.049), respectively. LRR was independently associated with a higher risk of distant metastasis and worse survival in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: LRR after mastectomy is not only a substantial clinical problem, but has a significant impact on the outcome of patients with T1 or T2 primary tumor and 1-3 positive axillary nodes. Patients with risk factors for LRR may need adjuvant RT. Randomized trials are warranted to determine the potential benefit of postmastectomy RT on the survival of patients with a T1 or T2 primary tumor and 1-3 positive nodes.     

Predictive Factors for Supraclavicular Lymph Node Recurrence in N1 Breast Cancer Patients

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify predictive factors for supraclavicular lymph noderecurrence (SCLR) in N1 breast cancer patients and define a high-risk subgroup who might benefit fromsupraclavicular nodal radiotherapy (RT). Materials and Methods: From January 1995 to December 2009, 113breast cancer patients with 1 to 3 positive axillary lymph nodes were enrolled in this study. All patients underwentbreast-conserving surgery (BCS) or modified radical mastectomy (MRM). RT was given to all patients whoreceived BCS. Among the patients given MRM, those with breast tumors >5 cm in size received RT. Regionalnodal irradiation was not applied. Systemic chemotherapy was given to 105 patients (92.9%). Patient data wereretrospectively reviewed and analyzed to identify predictive factors for SCLR. Results: The median follow-upduration was 6.5 years, with 5- and 10-year actuarial SCLR rates of 9.3% and 11.2%, respectively. Factorsassociated with SCLR on univariate analysis included histologic grade, number of dissected axillary lymph nodes,lymphovascular invasion, extracapsular extension (ECE), and adjuvant chemotherapy. On multivariate analysis,histologic grade and ECE remained significant. The patient group with grade 3 and ECE had a significantlyhigher rate of SCLR compared with the remainder (5-year SCLR rate; 71.4% vs. 4.0%, p<0.001). Conclusions:Histologic grade and ECE status are significant predictive factors for SCLR. Supraclavicular nodal RT isnecessary in N1 breast cancer patients featuring histologic grade 3 and ECE.     

Response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in lobular and ductal breast carcinomas: a retrospective study on 860 patients from one institution.

BACKGROUND: We compared the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on pathologic response and outcome in operable invasive lobular breast carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We extracted from our database all patients with pure invasive lobular (n=118, 14%) or pure invasive ductal carcinomas (n=742, 86%). Their treatment included neoadjuvant chemotherapy, adapted surgery, radiotherapy and adjuvant hormonal treatment. RESULTS: Compared with IDC, ILC presented with larger tumors (T3: 38.1% versus 21.4%, P=0.0007), more N0 nodes status (55.9% versus 43.3%, P=0.01), less inflammatory tumors (5.9% versus 11.8%, P=0.01), more hormone receptor positivity (65.5% versus 38.8%), lower histological grade (P<0.0001). Final surgery was a mastectomy in 70% of patients with ILC (34% were reoperated after initial partial mastectomy) and in 52% of IDC after 8% of reoperation (P=0.006). A pathological complete response (pCR) was achieved in 1% of ILC and 9% of IDC (P=0.002). The outcome at 60 months was significantly better for ILC, but histologic type was not an independent factor for survival in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: ILC appeared less responsive to chemotherapy but presented a better outcome than IDC. While new information on biological features of ILC is needed, we consider that neoadjuvant endocrine therapy in hormone receptor-positive ILC may be a more adapted approach than neoadjuvant chemotherapy.     

Relationship between menopausal hormone therapy and risk of ductal, lobular, and ductal-lobular breast carcinomas.

Combined estrogen and progestin hormone therapy (CHT) increases breast cancer risk, but this risk varies by breast cancer type. Several studies indicate that CHT is more strongly related to lobular carcinoma risk than to ductal carcinoma risk, but these studies have been limited in their assessments of recency and duration of use, and none included a centralized pathology review. We conducted a population-based case-control study consisting of 324 lobular, 196 ductal-lobular, and 524 ductal cases diagnosed from 2000 to 2004 and 469 controls ages 55 to 74 years old. Tissue specimens were centrally reviewed for 83% of cases. Associations between hormone use and breast cancer risk were evaluated using polytomous logistic regression. Current CHT users had 2.7-fold [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.7-4.2] and 3.3-fold (95% CI, 2.0-5.7) elevated risks of lobular and ductal-lobular carcinomas, respectively, regardless of tumor stage, size, or nodal status. Elevations in risk were observed only among users of CHT for > or =3 years. Among ductal-lobular cases, CHT increased risk of tumors that were > or =50% lobular (odds ratio, 4.8; 95% CI, 2.1-11.1) but not tumors that were <50% lobular (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 0.9-4.1). Current CHT users for > or =3 years have a substantially increased risk of lobular carcinomas. Although lobular carcinomas are less common than ductal carcinomas ( approximately 16% versus 70% of all invasive breast cancers in the United States), this duration is shorter than the 5 years of use widely cited to be needed to confer an increased risk of breast cancer overall. Further studies focusing on the etiology of lobular carcinomas are needed.