title: Immunohistochemically defined subtypes and outcome in occult breast carcinoma with axillary presentation.
abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of occult breast cancer (OBC) in patients with axillary presentation overall and according to the immunohistochemically defined tumour subtypes. We reviewed information on 15,490 consecutive primary breast cancer patients, who underwent surgery at the European institute of oncology between September 1997 and December 2008. Patients with OBC were compared with an equal number of patients with small invasive breast carcinomas (pT1) observed at the same institution during the same period, matched for year of surgery, age, nodal status and biological features. Eighty patients with OBC (study group) and 80 patients with early breast cancer (control group) were identified. There was no significant difference in the disease-free survival (5 years DFS 66 vs. 68% P = 0.91) and the overall survival (5 years OS 80 and 86% P = 0.99) between the OBC and control groups. A statistically significant worse outcome was observed within the group of OBC for patients with more than four involved lymph nodes and with triple negative tumours. The outcome of OBC patients is comparable with that of matched patients with small sized breast cancer. High risk of relapse and death was observed in OBC patients with triple negative tumours and extensive nodal involvement.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Unit Research of Medical Senology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy. emilia.montagna@ieo.it
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montagna
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bagnardi
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rotmensz
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viale
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cancello
authors.forename: Manuelita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cardillo
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghisini
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Galimberti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luini
authors.forename: Paola Rafaniello
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Raviele
authors.forename: Mauro Giuseppe
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Mastropasqua
authors.forename: Aron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goldhirsch
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colleoni
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human