Breast sarcomas: Is now the time to change our mind?

Abstract

e21524 Background: Primary breast sarcoma usually was considered a rare malignant disease [Adem et al., 2004]. The aim of this study is to show the incidence of breast sarcoma in the region with female population of about 600,000. Methods: Retrospective comparative analysis of breast sarcoma and breast cancer incidence in female of Ternopil region for 2000 - 2008. Descriptive statistical method was used. Results: The total of 101 cases of breast sarcoma was diagnosed in female of 39 - 76 years of age. Every year about 11 (6–18) primary breast sarcomas and 256 (233–279) patients with primary breast cancer were detected. The incidence rate of breast sarcoma was 1.14 per 100,000 women in 2000, 2.94 (in 2001), 1.48 (2002), 0.99 (2003), 2.16 (2004), 1.67 (2005), 2.53 (2006), 2.03 (2007) and 1.87/100,000 in 2008. The incidence of breast cancer was ranged from 37.3 to 46.4 per 100,000 of female population. Breast sarcoma consisted of 2.5% of the breast malignancies in 2000, 6.5% (in 2001), 3.3% (2002), 2.6% (2003), 5.4% (2004), 4.1% (2005), 5.9% (2006), 4.4% (2007) and 4.7% in 2008. Pathohistologic examination revealed angiosarcoma in 92.1% of cases. Thus, our findings are significantly different than data of other authors: f.e., the incidence of primary breast sarcoma is at 45 new cases per 10 million women [Confavreux et al., 2003], or 17 new cases per million women [Moore and Kinne, 1996], and breast sarcoma accounting for 0.0006% of breast malignancies which were diagnosed in 1910–2000 [Adem, 2004]. Taking into account all historical and recent data we can suggest beginning of biological changing in correlation between breast malignant tumors–carcinoma and sarcoma. Conclusions: Our statistical finding shows that incidence of breast sarcoma is 1.87 (0.99–2.94) per of 100,000 female population, and now sarcomas consist of 4.4% (2.5–6.5%) of all malignant breast tumors. Angiosarcoma is a most common (92.1%) morphological type of breast sarcomas. No significant financial relationships to disclose.