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Lack of prognostic significance of “classic” lobular breast carcinoma: a matched, single institution series

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Abstract

Whether invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast per se constitutes a prognostically favorable type has been debated. The present series comprises 301 consecutive “classic” lobular breast carcinomas seen at one institution between 1994 and 2001, compared to an equal number of invasive ductal carcinomas at the same institution during the same period, matched for year of surgery, age, menopausal status, primary tumor size, nodal involvement, hormone receptor status and where possible histological grade. Despite matching, the lobular carcinomas were more frequently multifocal, had more involved nodes, lower grade and lower proliferative fraction. There was no significant difference in disease-free or overall survival, locoregional relapse or time to distant metastasis between the lobular and ductal groups overall or within any examined subset, though the lobular group showed a trend to earlier appearance of contralateral breast cancer. Classical lobular histology is not an independent factor in the prognosis of early breast cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, European Institute of Oncology, University of Milan, Via Ripamonti, 435, 20141, Milan, Italy

    Giuseppe Viale

  2. Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Nicole Rotmensz & Patrick Maisonneuve

  3. Section of Anatomical Pathology, Department of Oncological and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Enrico Orvieto

  4. Department of Pathological Anatomy, University of Bari, Bari, Italy

    Eugenio Maiorano

  5. Division of Breast Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Viviana Galimberti & Alberto Luini

  6. Division of Medical Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Marco Colleoni

  7. European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Aron Goldhirsch

  8. Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland

    Aron Goldhirsch

  9. International Breast Cancer Study Group, Bern, Switzerland

    Alan S. Coates

  10. University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Alan S. Coates

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  1. Giuseppe Viale
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  2. Nicole Rotmensz
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Correspondence to Giuseppe Viale.

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Viale, G., Rotmensz, N., Maisonneuve, P. et al. Lack of prognostic significance of “classic” lobular breast carcinoma: a matched, single institution series. Breast Cancer Res Treat 117, 211–214 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-008-0112-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-008-0112-4

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