Abstract
Seventy seven patients with metastases from an invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast have been compared with 72 consecutive metastatic ductal carcinomas. There was no difference in the metastatic free interval between the two groups. A distinct pattern of clinical presentation of metastases was seen; hepatic (P = 0.01) and peritoneal metastases (P = 0.0003) occurred more commonly in lobular tumours. Bilateral cancers were more common in the lobular group (P = 0.01). No difference was seen in terms of meningeal and pulmonary metastases. Survival after metastases was significantly longer in patients with metastatic lobular carcinoma (P = 0.02).
Highlights
One thousand patients with primary operable breast cancer were treated in the Breast Unit at the City Hospital, Nottingham, between October 1973 and March 1983
Treatment consisted of simple mastectomy, subcutaneous mastectomy or lumpectomy followed by irradiation; no patient received adjuvant systemic therapy
Seventy seven patients (65%) with lobular tumours developed distant metastases. These patients were compared with 72 consecutive metastatic ductal carcinomas that developed in the first 134 patients of the Nottingham series
Summary
One thousand patients with primary operable breast cancer were treated in the Breast Unit at the City Hospital, Nottingham, between October 1973 and March 1983. Using established criteria (Martinez & Azzopardi, 1979) two pathologists (I.O.E. and C.W.E.) classified 118 of these as invasive lobular carcinomas. These case notes were reviewed and the following data obtained: metastatic free interval, site of metastases and survival after development of metastases. Distant metastatic involvement was recorded as that which was determined clinically during follow-up and verified by the relevant investigation. Seventy seven patients (65%) with lobular tumours developed distant metastases. These patients were compared with 72 consecutive metastatic ductal carcinomas that developed in the first 134 patients of the Nottingham series
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