title: Malignant phyllodes tumors of the breast: a study in clinical practice.
abstract: Malignant phyllodes tumors are an uncommon breast tumor in clinical practice of surgery. The study population consisted of five consecutive patients. Each patient had complete clinical follow-up with annual mammograms and physical examination in a specialized breast clinic. They were surgically treated for with malignant phyllodes tumor of the breast. All patients are alive and well with a complete follow-up. The first 2 patients had a fine needle aspiration cytology and were surgically treated by a simple mastectomy. The remaining 3 patients were preoperatively diagnosed with core needle biopsy. These 3 patients were treated with a wide excision of the phyllodes tumor with at least a 1-cm margin of normal breast tissue. Mammography was 100% accurate in demonstrating a dense breast mass. In each patient ultrasound suggested heterogeneous internal echoes present in each malignant phyllodes tumor. Fine needle aspiration cytology was of no value in the diagnosis of a phyllodes tumor. Core needle biopsy is highly reliable in establishing a preoperative diagnosis. The most helpful clinical observation of a malignant phyllodes tumor was rapid growth and enlargement, which is frequently noted by the patient.
authors.affiliation: The Majeski Surgical Institute, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, USA. DrMajeski@aol.com
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Majeski
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stroud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D062005:Biopsy, Large-Core Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D015413:Mastectomy, Simple; D008875:Middle Aged; D003557:Phyllodes Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary