title: Typical medullary carcinoma of the breast: a clinical and pathological analysis of 52 cases.
abstract: Fifty-two women with typical medullary breast carcinoma, diagnosed according to criteria of Ridolfi et al. [Cancer 40:1365-1385, 1977] are described. At the time of diagnosis, 90% of the patients were stages I and II. The primary tumor size was < or = to 4 cm in 46 (88.5%) and > 4 cm in 6 (11.5%) patients. Axillary lymph nodes were microscopically negative in 35 (67.3%) and positive in 17 (32.7%) patients. All 52 women underwent the Patey operation. Seventeen patients with microscopically positive axillary lymph nodes received postoperative irradiation. Of the 52 treated patients, 44 (84.6%) survived 10 years NED. The only prognostic factor was the microscopical axillary lymph nodes status. In the group of pNO patients, 97.1% survived 10 years NED, pN+ 58.8% only. The sole causes of unsuccessful treatment were distant metastases to lungs, hepar, and bones. Typical medullary carcinoma is a favorable histological type of breast carcinoma with very good prognosis for pNO patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Center of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reinfuss
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stelmach
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mitus
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rys
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Duda
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate