Impact of cell arrangement of pleural effusion in survival of patients with breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to evaluate the potential influence of cytological differences between pleural effusions on the survival of women with metastatic breast cancer during 30 months of follow-up.


METHODS
A hospital-based cohort study was performed. Pleural fluid cytology slides from patients with breast cancer were examined. Cases were grouped according to the pattern of tumor cells (spheroid and isolated), in order to access their prognostic value.


RESULTS
The study comprised 87 patients. An isolated cell pattern was associated with higher mortality 30 months after the pleural effusion when compared to a spheroid pattern (p = 0.038). Patients with an isolated cell pattern showed higher risk of dying than patients with spheroid formations. The relative risk after adjustment of intervening variables was 5.336 (95% CI 1.054-27.020). The presence of a triple-negative immunohistochemical pattern significantly increased the risk of mortality before 30 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Pleural effusion with isolated malignant cells is associated with worse prognosis after 30 months of follow-up.
Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Natália Dressler
ND
Camillo
Giovana Tavares
GT
Dos Santos
João Carlos
JC
Prolla
Eliza Ribas da Silveira
ER
Flôres
Gisele Orlandi
GO
Introíni
Rosicler Luzia
RL
Brackmann
Ivana Beatrice Mânica
IB
da Cruz
Claudia Giuliano
CG
Bica
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D048430:Cell Shape; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins