title: Patterns of metastatic breast cancer in relation to histological type.
abstract: We have examined the clinical records fo 1238 patients with operable breast cancer to identify the sites of metastatic disease. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) recurred more commonly in lung (P < 0.05), pleura (P < 0.05) and brain (P < 0.05), while infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) more commonly metastasised to the bone marrow (P < 0.01) and peritoneum (P < 0.01). Bone involvement as the initial presentation of distant metastatic disease occurred in over 50% of women with ILC, significantly more commonly than in those with IDC (34%, P < 0.01). Survival was similar for the two groups, both from time of diagnosis and from time of development of distant metastases.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Oncology Unit, Guy's Hospital, London, U.K.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Millis
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rubens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000556:secondary*; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary