open access

Vol 67, No 1 (2017)
Research paper (original)
Published online: 2017-08-24
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Typical medullary breast carcinoma: clinical outcomes and treatment results

Andrzej Stelmach, Janusz Ryś, Jerzy W. Mituś, Anna Patla, Piotr Skotnicki, Marian Reinfuss, Elżbieta Pluta, Tomasz Walasek, Beata Sas-Korczyńska
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Nowotwory. Journal of Oncology 2017;67(1):7-13.

open access

Vol 67, No 1 (2017)
Original article
Published online: 2017-08-24

Abstract

Typical medullary breast carcinoma (T-MBC) accounts for less than 1% of all malignant breast neoplasms, and immu­nohistochemically is characteristic of “triple-negative” breast carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and treatment results for patients with T-MBC treated at a single institution, and discuss the controversial aspects of this very rare form of breast cancer. Analyses was performed in 120 patients with T-MBC who were treated between 1970 and 2005. These cases represent 1.1% of all (11 270) patients treated for breast cancer during this period. According to TNM classification, 26 patients (21.6%) were in stage I, 80 patients (66.7%) in stage II and 14 (11.7%) in stage III of clinically advanced breast cancer. Involved axillary lymph nodes occurred in just 10 (8.3%) of the patients, and in all cases metastases were observed in 1–3 lymph nodes. All the patients un­derwent primary surgery. Radical mastectomies were performed on 98 (81.6%) patients, while the other 22 (18.4%) underwent breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Radiotherapy was performed in 36 patients (22 after BCS and 14 after mastectomy). Patients with nodal involvement (10 patients) received adjuvant chemotherapy, and 8 patients with hormone receptor expression received hormonotherapy with tamoxifen. The 10-year DFS rate was 90%. Out of 120 patients with T-MBC, only 4 (3.3%) died from this cancer. We showed that none of the population, neither clinical nor microscopic, had a statistically significant influence on the 10-year disease-free survival rate. Our results are similar to others presented in literature.

Abstract

Typical medullary breast carcinoma (T-MBC) accounts for less than 1% of all malignant breast neoplasms, and immu­nohistochemically is characteristic of “triple-negative” breast carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and treatment results for patients with T-MBC treated at a single institution, and discuss the controversial aspects of this very rare form of breast cancer. Analyses was performed in 120 patients with T-MBC who were treated between 1970 and 2005. These cases represent 1.1% of all (11 270) patients treated for breast cancer during this period. According to TNM classification, 26 patients (21.6%) were in stage I, 80 patients (66.7%) in stage II and 14 (11.7%) in stage III of clinically advanced breast cancer. Involved axillary lymph nodes occurred in just 10 (8.3%) of the patients, and in all cases metastases were observed in 1–3 lymph nodes. All the patients un­derwent primary surgery. Radical mastectomies were performed on 98 (81.6%) patients, while the other 22 (18.4%) underwent breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Radiotherapy was performed in 36 patients (22 after BCS and 14 after mastectomy). Patients with nodal involvement (10 patients) received adjuvant chemotherapy, and 8 patients with hormone receptor expression received hormonotherapy with tamoxifen. The 10-year DFS rate was 90%. Out of 120 patients with T-MBC, only 4 (3.3%) died from this cancer. We showed that none of the population, neither clinical nor microscopic, had a statistically significant influence on the 10-year disease-free survival rate. Our results are similar to others presented in literature.

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Keywords

breast cancer, typical medullary carcinoma, outcome, treatment results

About this article
Title

Typical medullary breast carcinoma: clinical outcomes and treatment results

Journal

Nowotwory. Journal of Oncology

Issue

Vol 67, No 1 (2017)

Article type

Research paper (original)

Pages

7-13

Published online

2017-08-24

Page views

1016

Article views/downloads

2093

DOI

10.5603/NJO.2017.0002

Bibliographic record

Nowotwory. Journal of Oncology 2017;67(1):7-13.

Keywords

breast cancer
typical medullary carcinoma
outcome
treatment results

Authors

Andrzej Stelmach
Janusz Ryś
Jerzy W. Mituś
Anna Patla
Piotr Skotnicki
Marian Reinfuss
Elżbieta Pluta
Tomasz Walasek
Beata Sas-Korczyńska

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