Relation of tumor localization and metastasis sites in patients with breast cancer.

Abstract

e21166 Background: We aimed to investigate whether a relation exists between primary tumor localization at breast and metastasis sites in breast cancer patients. Methods: Data of metastatic breast cancer patients being followed at Hacettepe University Institute of Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology between years 1987 and 2010 were analysed retrospectively. Metastasis sites and primary tumor localizations at breast were evaluated with chi-square test. Results: There were 129 (10.6%) metastatic breast cancer patients diagnosed at the admission or during the follow up period within 1,218 patients. The 13 (10%) patients had primary tumor at inner upper quadrant, 78 (60.4%) at upper outer quadrant, 11 (8.52%) at rero-areolar region, and 10 (7.75%) at inferior outer quadrant. Ten patients (7.75% ) had extensive tumors consisting of all quadrants and 4 (3.1%) had inflammatory breast cancer. The most frequent sites of metastasis were bone (n=43, 33.3%), lung (16, 12.4%) and liver (13, 10%). The 45 (34.9%) patients had metastases at multiple visceral sites. Bone and multiple visceral metastasis were the most frequent pattern of metastasis for all regions of primary tumor localizations. Isolated bone metastasis were less frequent at outer upper quadrant tumors compared to other regions of primary tumor localizations (p=0.043). Metastases at multiple visceral sites were more frequent at outer upper quadrant tumors compared to other primary tumor localizations, but statistical difference was not at significance level (p=0.106). Conclusions: It was shown that breast cancer patients had primary tumors at upper outer quadrant had less isolated bone and more frequent multiple visceral metastases.