Clinical and patho-anatomic aspects of metastases of breast cancer

Abstract

The importance of carcinoma of the breast in female malignancies demands a critical examination of the condition of metastases by means of certain clinical and pathological data. The clinical data and the results of autopsies of 384 patients with breast carcinoma were examined. The frequency and the chronology of occurrence of metastases put out metastases of lymphnodes , skeleton, lung, liver and local recurrences. The importance of the mediastinal lymph node metastases in the distribution of metastases in thoracical organs was established and is discussed. The relation of frequency of the metastases to primary tumour staging (TNM) shows a 63% rate of metastases in patients with No and 86% in patients with N+. A comparison of two decades (I = 1960-1969; II = 1970-1979) shows certain trends 1. In decade II more patients with primary stage T1-T2 NoMo were found in autopsies having less metastases. 2. More local recurrences and metastases of genital organs were diagnosed. 3. In decade II more "late-metastases" (2-10 years after primary diagnosis) were found. These developments are explained by better primary diagnostic methods, more frequent follow-up examinations after primary therapy, and more frequent application of secondary therapies (chemotherapy, radiotherapy).