Abstract
Objective
We investigated the clinical characteristics, and the prognostic factors of triple-negative breast cancer.
Methods
130 triple-negative breast cancer patients were reviewed on clinical characteristics and prognosis. All cases were lack of expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2/neu determined by immunohistochemistry.
Results
17.1% of all breast cancer patients (774 cases) were triple-negative breast cancer, and 68.9% of triple-negative breast cancer patients (91 cases) were premenopausal. 53.8% of patients (71 cases) had the tumors with T2 size, and 39.4% of them (52 patients) had lymph node metastasis. The rate of relapse in patients with lymph node metastasis was obviously higher than that in patients without lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001). The median time of follow-up was 63 months. 33 cases relapsed and 20 patients died. 23 patients had at least two organs metastasis. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were 73.8% and 85.7%.
Conclusion
Triple-negative breast cancer patients commonly have high rate of multiple distant metastasis in 2–3 years after treatment. The status of lymph node is the most important prognostic factor. The triple-negative breast caner patients with lymph node metastasis have poor prognosis.
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Supported by a grant from the Medical Research Foundation of Guangdong Province (No. 2006576).
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Cao, H., Yan, M., Wang, S. et al. Clinical characteristics and prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer. Chin. -Ger. J. Clin. Oncol. 8, 471–475 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10330-009-0104-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10330-009-0104-9