PROGNOSIS OF BREAST CANCERS AS ASSESSED BY LOCATIONS WITH REFERENCE TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PARASTERNAL AND SUPRACLAVICULAR LYMPH NODE DISSECTION FOR ADVANCED BREAST CANCER DEVELOPED IN THE INNER AREA

Abstract

To study the prognosis of breast cancers occupying different locations and the significance of parasternal (Ps) and supraclavicular (Sc) lymph node dissection for advanced breast cancer developed in the inner area of the breast.Regardless of the locations, breast cancer patients having undergone radical mastectomy as a rule during 1975-1982 were subjected, and survival rates by locations were studied. In patients group with inner breast cancer in T2 or severe after 1983 who received Ps dissection; and in patients group with advanced inner one after 1987 who received intrammamary infusion of activated carbon particle adsorbing aclarubicin (ACR-CH) followed by Ps and Sc dissection, the value of Ps and Sc dissection was evaluated.A comparison of survival rates by locations revealed that the prognosis in cancers developed in the inner area was significantly poorer compared to those in the outer area. Cancers in the inner area predominantly involved Ps and/or Sc recurrence, which might cause the declined survival rate. Possible contribution of Ps dissection to increase survival rate might be reasonable in only 2 Ps metastasis-positive cases, which accounted for about 4% of 49 Ps dissection cases. Therapeutic results with ACR-CH infusion followed by extended radical mastectomy (Ps, Sc) were currently favorable and further improvement in survival rate with this method can be expected.