男性乳腺癌的临床病理特征和预后分析

目的 分析男性乳腺癌(MBC)患者的临床病理特征,并探讨影响其预后的因素.方法 对23例MBC患者的病历资料进行回顾性分析.采用Kaplan-Meier法计算患者的生存率,并对影响患者预后的危险因素进行分析.结果 23例MBC患者的发病年龄为37~82岁,中位年龄61.6岁;肿瘤平均直径为3.8 cm.全组患者的3年、5年、10年总生存率分别为84.0%、61.6%、54.8%;3年、5年、10年无病生存率分别为63.1%、51.6%、51.6%.单因素分析结果显示,TNM分期、原发肿瘤大小、腋窝淋巴结是否转移对MBC患者的5年总生存率和无病生存率均有影响(P﹤0.05);激素受体状态对MBC患者的5年生存率有影响(P﹤0.05),对MBC患者的5年无病生存率无影响(P﹥0.05).结论 TNM分期、原发肿瘤大小、腋窝淋巴结是否转移是影响MBC患者5年总生存率和无病生存率的预后因素;激素受体状态是影响MBC患者5年生存率的预后因素.早期诊断及综合治疗是延长MBC患者生存期的关键.     

腋淋巴结阴性乳腺癌临床病理特征和预后的回顾性分析

目的:分析腋窝淋巴结阴性乳腺癌的临床病理特征及预后的影响因素。方法:收集215例腋窝淋巴结阴性及225例淋巴结阳性乳腺癌患者的临床病理及预后资料,应用χ2检验进行组间比较,以logistic回归进行多因素分析。结果:单因素分析显示,两组间月经状况(P=0.04)、肿瘤大小(P<0.001)、肿瘤分级(P=0.008)、肿瘤位置(P=0.001)差异均有统计学意义。多因素分析显示,肿瘤大小和肿瘤位置是影响淋巴结阴性和阳性乳腺癌患者独立的临床病理因素。两组预后指标分析显示,阴性组有较低的复发率(P<0.001)及远处转移率(P=0.002),有较高的术后生存率(P<0.001)。其中,肿瘤大小(P<0.001)、肿瘤分级(P=0.003)、肿瘤位置(P<0.001)是影响淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者5年无病生存的因素;肿瘤大小(P=0.012)和肿瘤位置(P<0.001)是影响淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者5年总生存的因素。结论:淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者有较好的预后,肿块大小、肿瘤位置是淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者的独立临床病理因素,也是影响淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者5年无病生存率及总生存率的预后指标。     

腋窝淋巴结阴性乳腺癌206例预后因素分析

目的探讨腋窝淋巴结阴性乳腺癌的临床特点、治疗方法及预后的影响因素。方法收集206例腋窝淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者的临床病理资料,应用Kaplan-Meier法计算生存率,应用log-rank检验各组生存率,采用COX比例风险模型进行多因素分析。结果全组患者5年无复发生存率为83.5%,总生存率为95.6%。单因素分析显示,年龄（P=0.0137）、肿块大小（P=0.0002）、术后放疗（P=0.0176）、化疗（P=0.0104）、内分泌治疗（P=0.0091）是影响淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者5年无病生存的因素;年龄（P=0.0113）、肿块大小（P=0.0375）、ER（P=0.0046）、PR（P=0.0275）是影响淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者5年总生存的因素。多因素分析显示,肿块大小（P=0.002）是影响淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者5年无病生存的独立预后因素。结论肿块大小是影响淋巴结阴性乳腺癌患者5年无病生存的独立预后因素。     

男性乳腺癌临床病理特征及预后分析

  目的  探讨男性乳腺癌临床病理特征、分子亚型特征及预后的特点。  方法  收集天津医科大学肿瘤医院135例的男性乳腺癌患者和377例同期诊断为非特殊型浸润性导管癌女性患者临床病理资料, 比较两组预后差异, 对患者年龄、肿瘤大小、淋巴结转移、分期、免疫组织化学指标等因素与预后的关系进行统计学分析。  结果  与女性乳腺癌相比, 男性乳腺癌好发于乳晕区(P=0.001), 具有较高的雌激素受体、孕激素受体阳性表达率(P < 0.05);男性乳腺癌以Luminal A和Luminal B1型为主, 其所占比例高于女性乳腺癌(P < 0.05);男性乳腺癌5和10年总生存率为81.3%和68.1%、无病生存率为72.3%和50.5%, 显著低于同期诊断的女性乳腺癌5、10年总生存率(91.8%、79.2%)(P=0.001)、无病生存率(82.6%、60.9%)(P=0.003)。单因素生存分析显示肿瘤大小、淋巴结转移、病理学分期、HER-2状态、分子分型是影响男性乳腺癌患者总生存和无病生存预后的因素(P < 0.05), Cox多因素分析显示肿瘤大小和淋巴结转移与男性乳腺癌患者预后有关(P < 0.05)。  结论  男性乳腺癌较女性乳腺癌预后差, 分子亚型以Luminal A和Luminal B1型为主, 其所占比例高于女性乳腺癌, 表明两者可能具有不同的生物学行为, 早期诊断、早期治疗是改善其预后的关键。      

术后放疗对T1-T2期乳腺癌患者预后的影响

目的:探讨术后放疗对T1-T2期伴有1～3个腋淋巴结转移、腋窝淋巴结清除相对彻底的乳腺癌患者的疗效及其对预后的影响。方法:选择2009年8月1日-2012年1月15日上海交通大学附属第六人民医院收治的185例T1-T2期伴有1～3个腋淋巴结转移的乳腺癌患者为研究对象,分为研究组(n＝93)和对照组(n＝92)。对照组行乳腺癌改良根治术以及腋窝淋巴结清除术,研究组在此基础上行放疗。观察两组患者1、2、3年总生存率、无病生存率,并分析影响预后的独立危险因素。结果:研究组1、2、3年总生存率分别为97.83%、96.74%、89.13%,与对照组相比,差异无统计学意义(P＝0.235 6,P＝0.181 2,P＝0.128 1);研究组1、2、3年无病生存率分别为94.57%、92.39%、89.13%,显著高于对照组(P＝0.041 8,P＝0.039 0,P＝0.039 0);单因素分析表明患者术后无病生存率可能与肿瘤分期、腋窝淋巴结转移数、PR、放疗与否有关,而与患者年龄、ER、月经状态无关,进一步Cox回归分析显示腋窝淋巴结转移数(P＝0.046)、放疗与否(P＝0.012)是影响无病生存率的独立预后因素。结论:术后放疗可提高T1-T2期伴有1～3个腋淋巴结转移的乳腺癌患者无病生存率,腋窝淋巴结转移以及放疗与否是影响患者预后的独立危险因素。     

结直肠癌单纯性肺转移90例患者预后相关因素分析

目的:探讨结直肠癌单纯性肺转移患者的生存及预后相关因素.方法:回顾性分析90例结直肠癌单纯性肺转移患者的临床资料,其中34例接受肺转移R0手术切除,56例接受全身化疗.采用Kaplan-Meier法进行生存分析,log-rank检验进行预后的单因素分析,COX比例风险模型进行预后的多因素分析.结果:肺转移R0手术切除组和全身化疗组1、2和3年总生存率分别为97.1％、88.2％和74.9％以及82.1％、55.3％和31.4％ (P＜0.05),肺转移R0手术切除组1、2和3年无病生存率分别为64.7％、43.9％和33.8％.单因素分析结果显示,肺转移R0手术切除组患者是否伴有肺门或纵隔淋巴结转移(P=0.003)、肺转移肿瘤大小(P=0.007)和术前癌胚抗原水平(P=0.029)与肺转移R0手术切除后的3年总生存率相关;结直肠癌原发肿瘤伴有区域淋巴结转移(P=0.005)、肺转移肿瘤最大径≥4 cm (P=0.006)和术前癌胚抗原水平≥5 ng/mL (P=0.010)与肺转移R0手术切除患者的肿瘤复发有关;全身化疗组患者是否使用过包含所有3种细胞毒药物(氟尿嘧啶类、奥沙利铂和伊立替康)(P=0.004)是影响3年总生存率的预后相关因素.多因素分析结果显示,肺转移肿瘤大小(P=0.032)是肺转移R0手术切除患者3年总生存率的独立预后因素,而结直肠癌原发肿瘤伴有区域淋巴结转移(P=0.030)和肺转移肿瘤最大径≥4 cm (P=0.049)是肺转移R0手术切除患者肿瘤复发的独立预后因素.结论:结直肠癌单纯性肺转移患者行R0手术切除可明显提高生存率,尤其是肺转移肿瘤最大径＜4cm的患者;全身化疗患者使用包括氟尿嘧啶类、奥沙利铂和伊立替康的3种细胞毒药物可明显延长总生存期.     

118例小肿块多腋窝淋巴结转移乳腺癌患者的临床特征和预后分析

目的分析小肿块多腋窝淋巴结转移(肿块直径≤2 cm、腋窝淋巴结转移≥4个)乳腺癌患者的临床特征和预后。方法1993年1月至2003年12月我院共收治小肿块多腋窝淋巴结转移乳腺癌患者118例,对其临床病理特征、辅助治疗进行分析,以发现相关的预后因素。结果全组患者的5年总生存率为75.0%。腋窝淋巴结转移4～9个及≥10个者的5年生存率分别为89.5%和59.8%(P=0.009),术后化疗患者与未化疗患者的5年生存率分别为82.1%和53.3%(P=0.001),术后内分泌治疗者与未行内分泌治疗者的5年生存率分别为89.2%和61.9%(P=0.001)。单因素Kaplan-Merier生存分析显示,肿瘤分期、术后化疗和内分泌治疗是影响患者预后的重要因素。Cox多因素预后分析显示,肿瘤分期、术后化疗和内分泌治疗是影响患者预后的独立因素。结论小肿块多腋窝淋巴结转移的乳腺癌患者具有易于转移的趋势,患者预后较差,尤其是腋窝淋巴结转移≥10个的患者;肿瘤分期、辅助化疗和内分泌治疗是影响患者预后的独立因素;合理的综合治疗有可能改善小肿块多腋窝淋巴结转移乳腺癌患者的预后。     

乳腺癌淋巴管生成与淋巴结转移、血管内皮生长因子-C表达的关系

目的 探讨乳腺癌中淋巴管生成的分布特点及与血管内皮生长因子-C(VEGF-C)的表达,淋巴结转移和预后的关系.方法 应用免疫组化方法检测70例乳腺癌组织VEGF-C蛋白的表达,并用淋巴管内皮细胞特异性抗体D2-40标记淋巴管,计数肿瘤淋巴管密度(LVD),结合临床病理特征和随访资料进行分析.结果 VEGF-C蛋白的高表达与淋巴结转移(P=0.010)、淋巴管浸润(P=0.031)呈正相关,与肿瘤组织学分级 (P＜0.001) 呈负相关.乳腺癌LVD与淋巴结转移(P＜0.001)、淋巴管浸润(LVI)(P=0.001)、VEGF-C表达(P=0.012)呈正相关,与无病生存率(P=0.011)及总生存率(P=0.001)呈显著负相关.多因素分析显示LVD是影响无病生存率(P=0.015)和总生存率(P=0.002)的独立因子.结论 乳腺癌组织中新生淋巴管主要分布于肿瘤间质,LVD与VEGF-C表达和癌细胞转移相关,乳腺癌微淋巴管密度测定对评估其淋巴结转移和预后判断可能具有意义.     

影响男性乳腺癌预后的多因素分析——单中心72例临床资料总结

背景与目的:中国男性乳腺癌的报道大多是小样本、回顾性研究,而分析影响患者预后因素的报道极少。本研究在相对比较大样本的中国男性乳腺癌资料基础上探讨影响患者预后的因素。方法:收集1969年1月至2009年3月在中山大学肿瘤防治中心经病理确诊、随访资料齐全的72例男性乳腺癌患者的临床资料。采用Kaplan-Meier方法、log-rank检验和Cox回归模型分析影响男性乳腺癌患者预后的因素。结果:本组男性乳腺癌患者的5年总生存率为72.4%,其中Ⅰ期100%,Ⅱ期74.2%、Ⅲ期57.2%、Ⅳ期0。单因素分析显示,肿瘤大小(P<0.001)、腋窝淋巴结转移(P=0.001)、TNM分期(P=0.001)、手术方式(手术和非手术比较:P<0.001;经典根治术和改良根治术比较:P=0.336)、有无内分泌治疗(P=0.02)是影响男性乳腺癌预后的因素。Cox多因素模型分析显示,TNM分期(P=0.035)、手术与否(P=0.021)、有无内分泌治疗(P=0.019)是影响预后的主要因素。结论:TNM分期、手术与否和有无内分泌治疗是影响中国男性乳腺癌预后的重要因素,提示早期发现和以手术为主、包含有内分泌治疗的综合治疗模...     

乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结跳跃式转移的临床病理研究

目的 探讨乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结跳跃式转移与患者临床病理特征的关系及其对预后的影响.方法 回顾性分析1502例行完全腋窝淋巴结清除术乳腺癌患者的临床资料,观察腋窝淋巴结跳跃式转移的发生规律,分析其与患者临床病理特征的关系及对预后的影响.结果 有淋巴结转移者814例,其中腋窝淋巴结跳跃式转移者119例,占14.6%;跳跃式转移中,最常见的是从第Ⅰ、Ⅱ水平跳过第Ⅲ水平至腋尖,发生率为5.2%.跳跃式转移的发生与患者的年龄、肿瘤大小、临床分期以及雌激素受体状态均无关(均P＞0.05).Ⅰ～Ⅱ期患者中,跳跃式转移组的10年无病生存率较非跳跃式转移组低(58.5%∶ 77.3%,P＝0.003);Ⅲ期患者中,两组的10年无病生存率差异无统计学意义(50.0%∶ 57.6%,P＝0.457).Cox多因素分析显示,肿块大小、淋巴结转移数目、淋巴结结外是否受侵及是否发生跳跃式转移,是影响患者预后的独立因素.结论 某些常见的临床病理指标尚不能准确地预测腋窝淋巴结跳跃式转移的发生;早期乳腺癌发生跳跃式转移者预后差,对其应坚持严格而规范的治疗.     

Breast-conserving therapy versus modified radical mastectomy in the treatment of early breast cancer in Japan

BACKGROUND: Breast-conserving therapy has been widely utilized as a treatment option for women with early breast cancer. However, no randomized study comparing modified radical mastectomy and breast-conserving therapy has been conducted in Japan. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-eight Japanese women with early breast cancer enrolled in the Gunma Breast Conserving Therapy Study between 1991 and 1994 were examined to determine whether there is any difference in disease-free survival or overall survival between radical mastectomy and breast-conserving therapy. After informed consent was obtained, a total of 119 patients underwent breast-conserving therapy and 109 underwent mastectomy. RESULTS: Mastectomy was a more frequently utilized treatment than breast-conserving therapy in patients with clinical stage II lesions, older age, larger tumor size or shorter distance between tumor and nipple. The mean follow-up period for all patients was 81 months (median 86 months). There was no significant difference in overall survival or disease-free survival between breast-conserving therapy and mastectomy even after adjusting for the clinical stage of the disease. A multivariate analysis of tumor size, lymph node status, estrogen receptor status and operation method using the Cox proportion hazard model confirmed that only lymph node status was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: Breast-conserving therapy is comparable to modified radical mastectomy in overall survival and disease-free survival.     

Patients with Recurrent Breast Cancer: Does the Primary Axillary Lymph node Status Predict more Aggressive Tumor Progression?

BACKGROUND: The extent of axillary lymph node involvement represents the foremost important prognostic parameter in primary breast cancer, and, thus, is one of the main determinants for subsequent systemic treatment. Nevertheless, the relevance of the initial axillary lymph node status on survival after disease recurrence is discussed controversially. Persisting prognostic impact after relapse would identify lymph node status as a marker for tumor biology, in contrast to a simply time-dependent phenomenon. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of 813 patients with locoregional or distant recurrence of primary breast cancer, who were primarily diagnosed with their disease at the I. Frauenklinik, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, and the University Hospital in Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany, between 1963 and 2000. To be eligible, patients were required to have been treated for resectable breast cancer free of distant disease at the time of primary diagnosis, and must have undergone systematic axillary lymph node dissection. Patients with unknown tumor size or nodal status were excluded from the study. All data were gathered contemporaneously and compared with original patients files, as well as the local cancer registry, ensuring high quality of data. The median observation time was 60 (standard deviation 44) months. RESULTS: At time of primary diagnosis, 273 patients (33.6%) were node-negative, while axillary lymph node metastases were detected in 540 patients (66.4%). In univariate analysis tumor size, axillary lymph node status, histopathological grading, hormone receptor status, as well as peritumoral lymphangiosis and haemangiosis carcinomatosa were significantly correlated with survival after relapse (all, P < 0.0001). Kaplan-Meier analysis estimated the median survival time after relapse in node-negative patients to be 42 months (31-52 months, 95% CI), and 20 months in patients with 1-3 axillary lymph node metastases (16-24 months, 95% CI), compared to 13 months in patients with at least 4 involved axillary nodes (12-15 months, 95% CI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis, allowing for tumor size, axillary lymph node status, histopathological grading, presence of lymphangiosis carcinomatosa, relapse site and disease-free interval confirmed all parameters, except of histopathological grading (P = 0.14), as significant, independent risk factors for cancer associated death. Subgroup analyses, accounting for site of relapse and duration of disease-free interval, confirmed primary lymph node status as independent predictor for cancer-associated death after relapse. CONCLUSION: Lymph node involvement at primary diagnosis of breast cancer patients predicts an unfavorable outcome after first recurrence, independently of the site of relapse and disease-free interval. These observations support the hypothesis that primary lymph node involvement is not a merely time-dependent indicator for tumor progression, but indicates tumors with aggressive biological behavior.     

Incidence and prognostic significance of complete axillary downstaging after primary chemotherapy in breast cancer patients with T1 to T3 tumors and cytologically proven axillary metastatic lymph nodes.

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence and prognostic significance of eradication of cytologically proven axillary lymph node metastases in breast cancer patients treated with primary chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1985 and December 1994, 152 breast cancer patients with invasive T1 to T3 tumors and axillary metastases cytologically proven by fine-needle sampling underwent primary chemotherapy followed by lumpectomy or mastectomy, level I and II axillary lymph node dissection, and irradiation. We studied pathologic complete responses (pCRs) of axillary nodes and breast tumors, as well as predictors of distant metastases. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (23%) had axillary pCRs, and 20 patients (13.2%) had pCRs of primary breast tumors. Scarff-Bloom-Richardson grade 3 tumors (P =.04) and a clinical response to chemotherapy > or = 50% (P =.003) were associated with negative axillary status at dissection. An initial tumor size < or = 3 cm (63 patients) was associated with pCR of the primary tumor (P =.02) but not with complete histologic clearance of axillary lymph nodes. The median length of follow-up was 75 months. In the univariate analysis, age greater than 40 years (P =.003), absence of residual nodal disease (P =.01), and pCR of the tumor (P =.05) were associated with better distant disease-free survival. Five-year distant disease-free survival rates were 73.5% +/- 14.9% among patients with no involved nodes at the time of surgery and 48.7% +/- 9.2% among patients with residual nodal disease. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, parameters associated with poor distant disease-free survival were age < or = 40 years (P =.002), persistence of nodal involvement (P =.03), and S-phase fraction greater than 4% (P =.02). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that axillary status is a better prognostic factor than response of the primary tumor to primary chemotherapy.     

Adjuvant chemotherapy in males with cancer of the breast

Analysis of recurrence rates in male breast cancer (MBC) has suggested that tumor size and degree of axillary lymph node involvement carry the same prognostic implications as for breast cancer in women. A similar spectrum of antineoplastic agents appears active in both females and males. Based on reports of active adjuvant chemotherapy of women with breast cancer, we initiated a trial of adjuvant chemotherapy of MBC in July 1974. Twenty-four patients have been treated with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF). All patients had nodal involvement (median three nodes positive; seven patients had a single positive lymph node). All patients began adjuvant therapy within 4 weeks of either a radical or modified radical mastectomy. No postoperative radiotherapy was given. Median potential follow-up is 46 months. Four patients have recurred, one each at 15, 45, 61, and 65 months following mastectomy; two are dead of metastatic disease. The five-year survival rate projected by actuarial means is in excess of 80% (95% confidence interval: 74-100%). Based on these data, this treatment is highly encouraging when compared to other forms of treatment reported in the literature in which 5-year disease-free survival rates are less than 30%. We conclude that adjuvant therapy of MBC with a CMF regimen is feasible and may be associated with substantial improvement in disease-free survival and overall survival.     

The correlation between the spread of metastases by level in the axillary nodes and disease-free survival in breast cancer. A multifactorial analysis

Axillary lymph nodes were separated from 492 radical or modified radical mastectomies for primary breast cancer and examined according to their anatomical level corresponding to their position along the theoretical pathway of lymph drainage from the breast. The patterns of metastasis and the relationship between metastatized levels and disease-free survival were investigated to see whether complete axillary dissection is necessary for the staging and the planning of adjuvant therapy in breast cancer.Progressive involvement from level I (proximal) to level III (distal) was found in 206 specimens (80.8% of tumors with axillary metastases), while discontinuous or “skip” metastases were present in 49 (19.2%), including 38 (14.9%) with positive nodes at level II or III but not at level I. “Skip” metastasis was more frequent when fewer than four nodes were positive, and not related to either the size and the primary tumor or its location.The effect of age, menopausal status, tumor size, node status, number of positive nodes, anatomic level of axillary node involvement, estrogen and progesterone receptors, and adjuvant therapies on disease-free survival was evaluated using a multivariate proportional hazard model and life table analysis. This showed that disease-free survival was strongly related to the number of positive nodes (P < 0.001), tumor size (P = 0.001) and level of node involvement (P = 0.01) as independent prognostic factors. Moreover, the subset of patients with four or more positive nodes and involvements of level III had a higher risk of recurrence (25% recurrence-free patients 5 years after mastectomy).The high frequency of “skip” mestastases and the prognostic value of both the level of involvement and the number of metastatic nodes suggest that a complete axillary dissection is needed in the surgical management of breast cancer to obtain all the data useful in the planning of adjuvant therapy.     

早期乳腺癌根治术后放疗预后因素分析

目的 探讨早期乳腺癌患者根治术后是否需要接受放疗.方法 回顾性分析本院1998年根治术后经病理证实腋窝淋巴结0～3个阳性的乳腺癌患者270例,其中腋窝淋巴结阴性者156例,腋窝淋巴结转移1、2、3个的分别为60、30、24例(114例).定义预后指数≥4分者为高危患者,<4分者为低危患者.生存率计算采用Kaplan-Meier法并Logrank检验.结果 腋窝淋巴结阴性与1～3阳性者10年生存率、10年无瘤生存率、平均无瘤生存时间、局部复发率、远处转移率分别为75.0%与63.2%(χ~2=4.40,P=0.036),71.2%与59.6%(χ~2=3.90,P=0.048)、(97.03±2.53)个月与(87.01±3.80)个月(t=2.28,P=0.023)、7.7%与16.7%(χ~2=5.22,P=0.022)、12.8%与21.1%(χ~2=3.27,P=0.070).高危组中未放疗者和放疗者的10年生存率分别为56%和72%(χ~2=4.07,P:0.044),局部复发率分别为24%和5%(χ~2=11.16,P=0.001),远处转移率分别为26%和16%(χ~2=2.18,P=0.140).低危组未放疗和放疗者10年生存率分别为71%和81%(χ~2=1.57,P=0.210),局部复发率分别为11%和11%(χ~2=0.01,P=0.975),远处转移率分别为13%和13%(χ~2=0.00,P=1.000).结论 T_1～T_2期腋窝淋巴结1～3个阳性乳腺癌患者根治术后可考虑放疗,预后指数的应用似乎可选择那些复发概率较大患者,从而尽量减少一部分患者接受不必要放疗.     

Outcome of non-metastatic male breast cancer: 118 patients

Studies concerning adjuvant systemic therapy and prognosis in male breast carcinoma (MBC) are limited. We aimed to evaluate outcome of the changing practices of adjuvant systemic treatment and survival in operable MBC patients over the last two decades. The medical records of 148 MBC patients followed between the years 1986 and 2009 at 7 cancer center were evaluated retrospectively. One hundred and eighteen operable non-metastatic patients had sufficient data were included the study. One hundred and eighteen operable MBC were found to be eligible. Median age was 60 (range 29-83) years. Thirty-two percent of the patients had T3-4 tumors. Half of the patients had axillary lymph node-positive disease. The proportion of positivity of estrogen receptor(ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), and HER2 status were 82.9, 75.8, and 23.4%, respectively. Only, 7 patients had triple negative (TN). Adjuvant hormonotherapy was advised for 76.8% whereas adjuvant chemotherapy for 73.7% of the patients. Median follow-up was 40.9 months (range 3.8-186 months). Locoregional and/or distant recurrence developed in thirty-eight patients (32.2%). Twenty-three patients died during the follow-up period. Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) was found to be 60%, whereas overall survival (OS) was 82%. Larger tumor size and lymph node positivity were statistically significant poor prognostic factors for OS. Although statistical insignificant, patients with HER2-positive tumors have worse DFS (52 vs. 120 months, log rank P = .73) and OS (85 vs. 144 months, log rank P = .30) than HER2-negative ones. Although the frequency of the use of adjuvant systemic therapy in MBC has been increasing and survival rates improving for the last decades, lymph node status and tumor size are still the most important determining factors for prognosis. There is a need for further prognostic information in men with HER2-positive or TN breast cancer.     

Multiparametric prognostic evaluation of biological factors in primary breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: An array of biological features related to tumor cell differentiation status, growth rate, and invasive potential have been identified as potential prognostic factors in breast cancer. We were interested in determining their relative importance in predicting patient survival. PURPOSE: We evaluated the relative weight of the following four biological factors in predicting survival of patients with breast cancer: tumor cell DNA content (determined by flow cytometry), tumor cell proliferation rate (determined by thymidine kinase activity), expression levels of cathepsin D and urokinase plasminogen activator, and several "classical" clinical and histological factors. METHODS: Selected from a prospectively updated database, the study population consisted of 319 primary breast cancer patients who received treatment and follow-up care (median, 6 years) in the Centre René Huguenin. To determine the profile of biological factors for each patient, we used frozen tumor specimens and (except for the flow cytometric DNA content assay) commercially available assay kits. We determined by Cox multivariate analysis the relationships of the biological factors to each other, to classical prognostic factors, and to disease-free and metastasis-free survival. RESULTS: In the overall population, disease-free survival was best predicted by node status (P = .004), clinical tumor size (P = .02), and cathepsin D expression (P = .01), whereas metastasis-free survival was best predicted by node status (P = .0004), clinical tumor size (P = .009), and urokinase plasminogen activator expression (P = .04). In node-negative patients, thymidine kinase activity was the only factor selected for disease-free (P = .04) and metastasis-free (P = .05) survival. In node-positive patients, the number of positive axillary lymph nodes was the only factor selected for disease-free (P = .0008) and metastasis-free (P = .00017) survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our retrospective analysis has identified protease expression and tumor cell proliferation rate as important biological prognostic factors in breast cancer. Prospective clinical trials should be undertaken to confirm these results.