Clinic pathological features and prognosis of metaplastic breast carcinoma

Objective:To investigate clinic pathological peculiarities and evaluate the prognosis of metaplastic breast carcinoma.Methods:Patients with metaplastic breast carcinoma at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University and Guangxing Hospital Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 2008 to 2013 were retrospectively selected.Results:A total of 73 female patients were reviewed,including 41 cases of purely epithelial type and 32 cases of mixed epithelial and mesenchymal type.Median tumor size was 4.6cm.Forty-three patients(58.8%)presented with lymph node metastasis,84.9%of cases were in advanced TNM stage,and 60.2%of cases were overexpressed by Ki-67.At a median follow-up of 59 months,median overall survival and disease-free survival were 59.7 and 43.9 months,respectively.Five-year overall survival rate was 45.2%and disease-free survival rate was 30.1%,and 76.7%of patients had recurrence or metastasis.Univariate analysis showed that tumor size,lymph node,and radiotherapy were associated with overall survival and disease-free survival(P<0.05),while Ki-67 over-expression was correlated with overall survival(P<0.05).With multivariate analysis,tumor size,lymph node,and radiotherapy affected prognosis(P<0.05);however,pathological typing was not an independent prognostic factor(P>0.05).Conclusion:Metaplastic breast carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor with large tumor,high lymph node metastasis rate,staging relatively late,high local recurrence and distant metastasis rate.The treatment follows the principle of comprehensive treatment based on surgery,but the prognosis is poor.Tumor size,lymph node,and radiotherapy treatment affect the prognosis.Overexpression of Ki-67 can be used as a potential diagnostic,therapeutic and prognostic indicator for metaplastic breast cancer.