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Single-institution outcomes after excision of benign phyllodes tumors: low recurrence risk even with positive margins

  • Original Laboratory Investigation
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Abstract

Purpose

Benign phyllodes tumors (BPT) are rare breast neoplasms with clinical behavior that poses low recurrence risk. Guidelines regarding appropriate margins recommend surgical excision to negative margins, sometimes requiring re-excision surgery. Contemporary experience suggests that re-excision in the face of positive margins may not be needed.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of a single-institution experience with BPT from 2010 to 2019 with 102 patients. Demographics, outcomes and follow-up were analyzed.

Results

The median age was 37 years. 95% had a pre-operative biopsy and only 6% were confirmed BPT before surgery.56% had positive margins and were more likely to be younger and have a pre-operative diagnosis of fibroadenoma. The median follow-up was 33 months. Between the positive and negative margin groups, recurrence rates were not significantly different (p = 0.87).

Conclusion

Positive margins on excision of BPT poses a low recurrence risk and re-excision surgery is not necessary.

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Data availability

The dataset generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available as they contain private health information. They can be made available in a de-identified manner from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

PT:

Phyllodes tumors

BPT:

Benign phyllodes tumors

FEL:

Fibroepithelial lesion

NCCN:

National Comprehensive Cancer Network

IQR:

Interquartile range

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Lindsey Kirkpatrick who was instrumental in collecting data from electronic medical records.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Zainab Balogun

  2. Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Jennifer G. Steiman, Joanna S. Lee, Atilla Soran, Ronald R. Johnson, Priscilla F. McAuliffe & Emilia J. Diego

  3. Department of Surgery, Crozer Health System, Springfield, PA, USA

    Jandie L. Schwartz

Authors
  1. Zainab Balogun
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  2. Jennifer G. Steiman
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  3. Jandie L. Schwartz
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  4. Joanna S. Lee
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  5. Atilla Soran
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  6. Ronald R. Johnson
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  7. Priscilla F. McAuliffe
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Contributions

ZB: analysis of data, drafting and critical revision of manuscript JGS: analysis of data, critical revision of manuscript JLS: acquisition and analysis of data, drafting and critical revision of manuscript JSL: analysis of data, critical revision of manuscript AS: analysis of data, critical revision of manuscript RRJ: analysis of data, critical revision of manuscript PFM: analysis of data, critical revision of manuscript EJD: study design, Quality improvement application, acquisition and analysis of data, drafting and critical revision of manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emilia J. Diego.

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Competing interest

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Ethical approval

This is a retrospective, observational study. This study was approved by the Quality Improvement Review Committee at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and no ethical approval was required.

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These data were presented as a poster at the American College of Surgeons Annual Clinical Congress Virtual Meeting, October 2021.

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Balogun, Z., Steiman, J.G., Schwartz, J.L. et al. Single-institution outcomes after excision of benign phyllodes tumors: low recurrence risk even with positive margins. Breast Cancer Res Treat 198, 569–572 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-023-06885-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-023-06885-4

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