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Prognostic Role of Lymphovascular Invasion in Patients with Early Breast Cancer

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Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, our aim was to evaluate the role of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in the prognosis of patients with early stage breast cancer. The medical records of more than 7000 patients who suffered from invasive breast cancer and had undergone surgical treatment since December 1994 till December 2019, retrospectively. Patient’s history, physical examination and the clinicopathological features, histopathology characteristics, immunohistochemical findings, adjuvant systemic therapy, recurrence rate, metastasis-free survival (MFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were reviewed. A total of 5425 eligible patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence of LVI; 3031 (55.9%) patients had no LVI (group 1) and LVI was present in 2394 (44.1%) patients (group 2), then divided into LN-positive and -negative groups. Presence of LVI was significantly associated with patient age ≤ 40 years (p = 0.048), high histological grade (grades II and III, p < 0.001), tumor size between 2–5 cm and > 5 cm (p < 0.001), number of involved LN ≥ 4 (p < 0.001), and negative ER (p = 0.042) tumors. Five-year OS, MFS, and DFS were 93%, 88.9%, and 76.1% and 85.2%, 84.7%, and 73.6 in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, LVI was an independent prognostic factor for DFS in all patients. Furthermore, histological grade II, histological grade III, and a higher number of involved LNs (≥ 4) were independent predictors in all patients. Thus, the presence of LVI can be considered as an independent prognostic factor for patients with operable breast cancer, irrespective of the LN status.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Breast Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box, 71936-13111, Shiraz, Iran

    M. Akrami, A. Meshksar, Johari M. Ghoddusi, M. M. Safarpour, S. Tahmasebi, V. Zangouri & A. Talei

  2. Surgical Oncology Division, General Surgery Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    M. Akrami, S. Tahmasebi, V. Zangouri & A. Talei

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  1. M. Akrami
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  2. A. Meshksar
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  3. Johari M. Ghoddusi
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  4. M. M. Safarpour
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  5. S. Tahmasebi
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  6. V. Zangouri
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  7. A. Talei
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Correspondence to M. M. Safarpour.

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This research study was conducted retrospectively from data obtained for clinical purposes. We consulted extensively with the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Who determined that our study did not need ethical approval.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Akrami, M., Meshksar, A., Ghoddusi, J.M. et al. Prognostic Role of Lymphovascular Invasion in Patients with Early Breast Cancer. Indian J Surg Oncol 12, 671–677 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13193-021-01367-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13193-021-01367-9

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