title: Clinical and pathological factors influencing the survival of breast cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to identify the clinical and pathological factors that can influence the prognosis of breast cancer patients with clinical symptoms of malignant pleural effusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a clinical cohort study, in which we analyzed the medical charts of patients diagnosed with malignant pleural effusion between 2006 and 2010. By examining the charts, we identified the female patients with a history of breast cancer. For those patients, we collected pathology data related to the primary tumor and cytopathology data related to the pleural metastasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We evaluated 145 patients, 87 (60%) of whom had tested positive for malignant cells in the pleural fluid. Ductal histology was observed in 119 (82%). The triple-negative breast cancer phenotype was seen in 25 cases (17%). Those patients had the worst prognosis (with a sharp decline in the survival curve), and 20 of the 25 (80%) died during the follow-up period (through June of 2011). The mean survival after the identification of malignant pleural effusion was 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with triple-negative breast cancer who test positive for malignant cells in the pleural fluid, the prognosis is poor and survival is reduced.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. giovanat@ufcspa.edu.br
authors.forename: Giovana Tavares dos
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: João Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Prolla
authors.forename: Natália Dressler
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Camillo
authors.forename: Lisiane Silveira
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Zavalhia
authors.forename: Alana Durayski
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ranzi
authors.forename: Claudia Giuliano
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Bica
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53