title: Eight Year Survival Analysis of Patients with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) often presents as an interval cancer with short survival upon metastasis and thus represents an important clinical challenge. The present study investigated the clinicopathologic characteristics and long term survival outcome of early and locally advanced TNBC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were reviewed retrospectively for 148 consecutive confirmed cases of TNBC treated in a single unit at our centre. Demographic profile, tumor type, histopathology details, treatment and follow-up information was recorded and immunohistochemistry was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age group >50 years was associated with tumors of clinical stage 3 (53.8%), pathological stage 3 (46.2%), pathological grade 3 (45.7%), presence of extracapsular extension (ECE, 48.5%) and lymphovascular invasion (LVI, 64.9%). Locally advanced breast cancers (LABCs) were characterized by pathological stage 3 (96.2%), presence of ECE (100%) and absence of LVI (46.7%) as compared to early breast cancers (EBCs) which had higher incidence of lower stage tumors (100%), absence of ECE (82%) and presence of LVI (91.9%; p-value <0.001. Better relapse free survival was observed in patients with no axillary involvement (69%; p-value <0.001) and absence of ECE (64%; p-value <0.001). Improved overall survival was seen in patients with EBC (90%; p-value 0.008), clear axilla (86%; p-value <0.001), absence of ECE (87%; p-value <0.001) and negative lymph nodes (90%; p-value 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TNBCs are aggressive tumors which show poor long term survival. Patients with TNBC benefit from chemotherapy, thus better and less toxic treatment options are needed. Identification of newer targets and development of targeted therapies are the need of the hour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Delhi, India E-mail : ddoval07@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.forename: Rupal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Saud
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azam
authors.forename: Ullas
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Batra
authors.forename: Vineet
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Talwar
authors.forename: Kapil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Anurag
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult