[Clinicopathologic features and prognostic significance of basal-like breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To analyzed a large group of invasive breast cancers with long-term follow-up information to evaluate the clinicopathologic, morphological and prognostic features of basal-like breast cancers in Chinese population.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of ER, HER2, CK5/6, EGFR on tissue microarray with 1311 invasive breast cancers. Based on the results, these cases were categorized into luminal A, luminal B, basal-like, HER2-overexpressing and null subtypes. Clinicopathological features and survival rates were compared between these groups.


RESULTS
Basal-like breast cancers constituted 17.0% of 1311 invasive breast cancers with a significantly larger size, higher grade and higher incidence of the medullary carcinoma, frequent recurrence and infrequent node metastasis. Morphologically, basal-like breast cancers showed a significantly more solid architecture and ribbon-like architecture associated with necrosis (more geographic necrosis) and central scar, a more pushing margin, lymphocytic infiltration and a higher mitosis score, more syncytial growth, presence of basaloid cells, spindle cells and squamous metaplasia. The disease-free survival and overall survival of basal-like breast cancers were significantly poorer than that of luminal A subtype, but similar to the other ER-negative subtypes. Basal markers were not independent prognostic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Basal-like breast cancers in Chinese population has a similar prevalence to that of the western populations. They have distinct clinicopathologic features compared to other non-basal breast cancers, but overlapping with other ER-negative breast cancers. Morphological features are strongly associated with basal-like breast cancers although they are not very specific. The survival of basal-like breast cancers is poorer than luminal A, but similar to the other ER-negative breast cancers, and basal markers are not independent prognostic factors of breast cancers.
Liu
Hui
H
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Fan
Qin-he
QH
Li
Xiao
X
Liu
Guang-zhen
GZ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053555:Keratin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
D066246:ErbB Receptors; D053555:Keratin-5; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen