Does the total tumor size in multifocal/multicentric breast cancer affect survival

Abstract

The incidence of multifocal/multicentric (MF/MC) breast cancer ranges from 6% to 60% [1, 2, 3]. According to the study, in 170 patients with this disease, the prognostic value of determining the T-staging of MF/MC breast cancer using Tsum, which is the sum of the longest tumor diameters, was proven. Background. The aim of this study is to assess the predictive value of T-staging according to total lesion volume versus the size of the largest tumor in the breast in patients with MF/MC breast cancer. Materials and methods. 383 outpatient cards and case histories of patients with MF/MC breast cancer aged 28 to 84 years (55.0±11.3 years) were analyzed for the period from 2001 to 2016. T-stage multifocal and multicentric tumors was defined according to the size of the largest lesion (Tmax) and the sum of the longest diameters of the remaining breast lesions (Tsum). Results. MF and MC tumors were found in 170 of 383 patients (44.4%) diagnosed with breast cancer. Based on the information in the literature available to us on the prognostic role of tumor process indicators Tsum and Tmax, specific for breast cancer MF and MC, we analyzed the relationship of these indicators with time to outcome in a cohort of patients who experienced distant metastasis or death. When determining the stage of the disease according to Tsum, in 41 (24%) patients the stage increased from I to II, in 21 (15%) — from II to III and in 4 (2.35%) — from I to III stages. Conclusions. When determining the stage of the disease according to Tsum in 41 patients (24%), the stage increased from I to II and in 21 patients (15%) from II to III, in 4 patients from I to III (2.35%). Using several statistical methods to assess discriminative ability, we did not find a significant superiority of Tsum over Tmax in terms of overall survival.