Evaluating Surgical Outcomes Between Estrogen Receptor Positive Invasive Lobular and Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast-A Propensity Matched Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) contributes significantly to the global cancer burden and is the most common of the histological "special types" of breast cancer. ILC has unique features setting it apart from the more common invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Despite differences, treatment algorithms do not consider histological differences.

AIM

To determine the differences in treatment and outcomes of ILC relative to IDC in a strict case-matched cohort study at a tertiary referral, specialist, breast cancer center.

METHODS

All Estrogen receptor positive (ER+) ILCs from 1999 to 2015 were matched for; age, tumor size, grade, PR/HER2 status, nodal stage and metastases with ER+ IDCs from the same period. Surgical and systemic treatments were assessed along with overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS

762 cases in total were analyzed (1:1 matching; ILC:IDC). ILC cases were more often treated with mastectomy (37.5% vs. 28.6%, P .009) and those who received breast conserving surgery (BCS) more often had an incomplete resection (30.2% vs. 19.6%, P .01). IDC were more often treated with NACT (5.5% vs. 14.4%, P < .001). Mean DFS were similar between ILC and IDC; 148.3 vs. 141.4 months (P .112) but OS was significantly longer in the ILC group; 165.7 vs. 134 months (P .002). This trend was consistent among the subset of patients undergoing BCS. For ILC undergoing BCS, mean DFS was 129.8 vs. 128.3 months for IDC (P .418) and OS was 155.4 and 110.7 months respectively (P < .001). Incomplete resection at the time of index surgery did not alter the disease free or overall survival in either the ILC or IDC patients to a level that reached statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

In this cohort study, the strict matching of ILC and IDCs for a number of prognostic indicators, demonstrates the impact of lobular histology with a clarity not previously observed. ILCs have comparable survival outcomes to patients with IDC but at the expense of more extensive index and revisional surgery. There is a need for awareness of these facts among surgeons and patients for optimal treatment prioritization and provision.

Survival Outcomes in Premenopausal Patients With Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

Importance

The disparate prognostic implications between invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) have been demonstrated. However, information on premenopausal patients remains insufficient.

Objective

To examine long-term survival outcomes of ILC and IDC in premenopausal patients using national databases.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER), Korean Breast Cancer Registry (KBCR), and Asan Medical Center Research (AMCR) databases to identify premenopausal patients with stage I to III ILC or IDC between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2015. The median follow-up time was 90 (IQR, 40-151) months in the SEER database, 94 (IQR, 65-131) months in the KBCR database, and 120 (IQR, 86-164) months in the AMCR database. Data were analyzed from January 1 to May 31, 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS), which was analyzed according to histological type, and the annual hazard rate was evaluated. Survival rates were analyzed using a log-rank test and a Cox proportional hazards regression model with time-varying coefficients. Multivariable analysis was performed by adjusting for tumor characteristics and treatment factors.

Results

A total of 225 938 women diagnosed with IDC or ILC and younger than 50 years were identified. Mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 42.7 (5.3) years in the SEER database, 41.8 (5.5) years in the KBCR database, and 41.8 (5.5) years in the AMCR database. In terms of race (available for the SEER database only), 12.4% of patients were Black, 76.1% were White, 11.0% were of other race (including American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander), and 0.5% were of unknown race). Patients with ILC had better BCSS in the first 10 years after diagnosis than those with IDC (hazard ratios [HRs], 0.73 [95% CI, 0.68-0.78] in the SEER database, 1.20 [95% CI, 0.91-1.58] in the KBCR database, and 0.50 [95% CI, 0.29-0.86] in the AMCR database), although BCSS was worse after year 10 (HRs, 1.80 [95% CI, 1.59-2.02] in the SEER database, 2.79 [95% CI, 1.32-5.88] in the KBCR database, and 2.23 [95% CI, 1.04-4.79] in the AMCR database). Similar trends were observed for hormone receptor-positive tumors (HRs, 1.55 [95% CI, 1.37-1.75] in the SEER database, 2.27 [95% CI, 1.01-5.10] in the KBCR database, and 2.12 [95% CI, 0.98-4.60] in the AMCR database). Considering the annual hazard model of BCSS, IDC events tended to decline steadily after peaking 5 years before diagnosis. However, the annual peak event of BCSS was observed 5 years after diagnosis for ILC, which subsequently remained constant.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that premenopausal women with ILC have worse BCSS estimates than those with IDC, which can be attributed to a higher late recurrence rate of ILC than that of IDC. Histological subtypes should be considered when determining the type and duration of endocrine therapy in premenopausal women.

Clinicopathological Features and Outcomes Comparing Patients With Invasive Ductal and Lobular Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

There is increasing interest in better understanding the biology and clinical presentation of invasive lobular cancer (ILC), which is the most common special histological subtype of breast cancer. Limited large contemporary data sets are available allowing comparison of clinicopathologic features between ILC and invasive ductal cancer (IDC).

METHODS

The Great Lakes Breast Cancer Consortium was formed to compare clinical behavior of ILC (n = 3617) and IDC (n = 30 045) from 33 662 patients treated between 1990 and 2017 at 3 large clinical centers. We used Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards modeling, and propensity score matching to evaluate treatment differences and outcomes. All statistical testing used 2-sided P values.

RESULTS

Compared with IDC, patients with ILC were more frequently diagnosed at later stages and with more lymph node involvement (corrected P < .001). Estrogen receptor-positive ILCs were of lower grade (grade 1 and 2: 90% in ILC vs 72% in IDC) but larger in size (T3 and 4: 14.3% in ILC vs 3.4% in IDC) (corrected P < .001), and since 1990, the mean ILC size detected at diagnosis increased yearly. Patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive ILC underwent statistically significantly more mastectomies compared with ER-positive IDC (57% vs 46%). Using Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients with ER-positive ILC had statistically significantly worse disease-free survival and overall survival than ER-positive IDC although 6 times more IDCs were classified as high risk by OncotypeDx Breast Recurrence Score assay.

CONCLUSIONS

This large, retrospective, collaborative analysis with 3 clinical centers identified meaningful differences in clinicopathological features between ILC and IDC, providing further evidence that these are 2 different entities requiring different clinical management.

De novo metastatic lobular breast carcinoma: A population-based study from SEER database

PURPOSE

Patients with metastatic lobular breast carcinoma constitute a heterogeneous group with distinguishing features. Our aim was to describe the features and survival of them, and further subdivide them into subcategories for prognostic stratification and treatment planning.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer from 2010 to 2018 were identified using the SEER database. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to calculate odds ratios. The within-pair difference was minimized by propensity score matching. Multiple comparisons based on Cox proportional hazards model were performed to investigate the interactions of M1 subcategory and treatment modality on survival.

RESULTS

A total of 1,675 patients with de novo metastatic lobular breast carcinoma were identified, they were more likely to have HR+/HER2- subtype, low histologic grade, low T/N stage, fewer metastatic sites, but worse prognosis compared with patients with metastatic ductular breast carcinoma. The M1 stage was subdivided into 3 subcategories with significantly different prognoses. The benefits of primary tumor surgery were more pronounced in M1a/b disease, whereas the benefits of chemotherapy increased with the progression of metastatic disease.

CONCLUSION

Patients with metastatic lobular breast carcinoma have unique clinicopathological characteristics and metastatic patterns. M1 subcategory assists prognosis stratification and treatment planning for such patients.

The incidence of discordant clinical and genomic risk in patients with invasive lobular or ductal carcinoma of the breast: a National Cancer Database Study

When molecular testing classifies breast tumors as low risk but clinical risk is high, the optimal management strategy is unknown. One group of patients who may be more likely to have such discordant risk are those with invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast. We sought to examine whether patients with invasive lobular carcinoma are more likely to have clinical high/genomic low-risk tumors compared to those with invasive ductal carcinoma, and to evaluate the impact on receipt of chemotherapy and overall survival. We conducted a cohort study using the National Cancer Database from 2010–2016. Patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative, stage I-III breast cancer who underwent 70-gene signature testing were included. We evaluated the proportion of patients with discordant clinical and genomic risk by histology using Kaplan-Meier plots, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards models with and without propensity score matching. A total of 7399 patients (1497 with invasive lobular carcinoma [20.2%]) were identified. Patients with invasive lobular carcinoma were significantly more likely to fall into a discordant risk category compared to those with invasive ductal carcinoma (46.8% versus 37.1%, p < 0.001), especially in the clinical high/genomic low risk subgroup (35.6% versus 19.2%, p < 0.001). In unadjusted analysis of the clinical high/genomic low-risk cohort who received chemotherapy, invasive ductal carcinoma patients had significantly improved overall survival compared to those with invasive lobular carcinoma (p = 0.02). These findings suggest that current tools for stratifying clinical and genomic risk could be improved for those with invasive lobular carcinoma to better tailor treatment selection.

Nanofibrous drug delivery systems for breast cancer: a review

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women. Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is one of the preferred approaches for treating non-invasive or early-stage breast cancers. However, local-regional recurrence (LRR) is one of the critical risk factors after BCS. As many as 10%-20% of BCS cases may show LRR within 5 years and almost 50% within 10 years after surgery. Radiation therapy is one of the preferred treatments used to prevent LRR after BCS. However, because of possible side-effects of radiation therapy, targeted drug delivery systems (DDS) based on nanofibers loaded with anti-cancer drugs have been explored in recent years to control LRR. This paper aims to review different polymers and anti-cancer drugs used for developing nanofibrous DDS against various breast cancer cell lines for their efficacy and advantages. It was observed that the utilization of nanofibers scaffolds after mastectomy could decrease the recurrence of breast cancer cells to a great extent as these nanofibrous scaffolds release drugs in a sustained manner for a prolonged time eliminating the need for radiations. Besides, the side effects of chemotherapy or other aggressive anticancer treatment on healthy cells could also be avoided.

Invasive lobular carcinoma mammographic findings: correlation with age, breast composition, and tumour size

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate mammographic findings associated with invasive lobular carcinoma in different age groups, taking into account breast composition and tumour size.

Material and methods

A total of 1023 invasive lobular carcinoma preoperative mammograms were evaluated. According to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, cancer mammographic findings were classified as mass, calcifications, architectural distortion, and asymmetry, and breasts were assessed as dense (C or D breast composition) or non-dense (A or B). The patient cohort was subdivided into 3 age groups (< 50, 50-69, ≥ 70 years of age). In order to make the size and age groups dichotomous variables and to perform multiple regression analysis, a cut-off of 10 mm was chosen for tumour size, and < 50-years-old and 50-69-years-old age groups were grouped together (< 70-years-old age group).

Results

Significant results of multivariate analysis were the association between mass finding and non-dense breasts and size ≥ 10 mm (p < 0.0001), between calcifications, and dense breasts, size < 10 mm and < 70-years-old age group (p < 0.0001), between distortion and < 70-years-old age group (p = 0.0366), and between asymmetry and ≥ 70-years-old age group (p = 0.0090).

Conclusions

Various mammographic findings are differently associated with age group, breast composition, and tumour size.

Breast Cancer Survival in Multiple Sclerosis: A Matched Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypotheses that overall survival and cancer-specific survival after breast cancer diagnosis would be lower in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) as compared to persons without MS using a retrospective matched cohort design.

METHODS

We applied a validated case definition to population-based administrative data in Manitoba and Ontario, Canada, to identify women with MS. We linked the MS cohorts to cancer registries to identify women with breast cancer. Then we selected 4 breast cancer controls without MS matched on birth year, cancer diagnosis year, and region. We compared all-cause survival between cohorts using Cox proportional hazards regression adjusting for age at cancer diagnosis, cancer diagnosis period, income quintile, region, and Elixhauser comorbidity score. We compared cancer-specific survival between cohorts using a multivariable cause-specific hazards model. We pooled findings between provinces using meta-analysis.

RESULTS

We included 779 patients with MS and 3,116 controls with breast cancer. Most patients with stage data (1,976/2,822 [70.0%]) were diagnosed with stage I or II breast cancer and the mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 57.8 (10.7) years. After adjustment for covariates, MS was associated with a 28% increased hazard for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.53), but was not associated with altered cancer-specific survival (HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.65-1.46).

CONCLUSION

Women with MS have lower all-cause survival after breast cancer diagnosis than women without MS. Future studies should confirm these findings in other populations and identify MS-specific factors associated with worse prognosis.

Carcinomatous cirrhosis as radiographically occult liver metastases of breast cancer: A systematic literature review

In the present study, we aimed to clarify features of carcinomatous cirrhosis from breast cancer presenting as refractory transudate ascites and acute liver failure. In our systematic literature review, we identified 26 studies and 31 cases including our case of this rare condition. Our patient was a 49-year-old woman with a history of ascites and liver failure for the past 4 years and currently being treated for invasive ductal breast cancer. On radiography, she had occult liver metastases that were confirmed using laparoscopic liver biopsy. In the 31 cases, data on the reported year, age, type of primary breast cancer, time from breast cancer diagnosis, presence of ascites and/or varices, liver biopsy, diagnostic modalities, outcomes, and survival were documented and analyzed. All cases were reported during 1984-2020, with a mean patient age of 52.9 years. Eighteen patients (58.1%) were diagnosed with ductal breast cancer. Twenty-two patients (70.9%) had ascites. All patients had gradual progression to liver dysfunction. The following tests were performed: computed tomography (77.4%); ultrasound (58.0%); liver biopsy (100%); postmortem biopsy (35.5%), transjugular liver biopsy (32.3%), and laparoscopic liver biopsy (3.2%). Outcomes were reported for 29 patients, of whom 24 (82.3%) died after 1 day to 16 months. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common histological type; however, invasive lobular carcinoma was more frequent (32.3%) than its reported incidence in the breast. Carcinomatous cirrhosis has poor prognosis at relatively rash and is difficult to diagnose with usual modalities. It may be associated with E-cadherin loss or CD44 pronouncement.

Accuracy of Preoperative Breast MRI Versus Conventional Imaging in Measuring Pathologic Extent of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) extent is more accurately depicted with preoperative MRI (pMRI) than conventional imaging (mammography and/or ultrasound).

METHODS

After IRB approval, we retrospectively identified women with pMRIs (February 2005 to January 2014) to evaluate pure ILC excluding those with ipsilateral pMRI BI-RADS 4 or 5 findings or who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Agreement between imaging and pathology sizes was summarized using Bland-Altman plots, absolute and percent differences, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Rates of underestimation and overestimation were evaluated and their associations with clinical features were explored.

RESULTS

Among the 56 women included, pMRI demonstrated better agreement with pathology than conventional imaging by mean absolute difference (1.6 mm versus -7.8 mm, P < 0.001), percent difference (10.3% versus -16.4%, P < 0.001), and ICC (0.88 versus 0.61, P = 0.019). Conventional imaging more frequently underestimated ILC span than pMRI using a 5 mm difference threshold (24/56 (43%) versus 10/56 (18%), P < 0.001), a 25% threshold (19/53 (36%) versus 10/53 (19%), P = 0.035), and T category change (17/56 (30%) versus 7/56 (13%), P = 0.006). Imaging-pathology size concordance was greater for MRI-described solitary masses than other lesions for both MRI and conventional imaging (P < 0.05). Variability of conventional imaging was lower for patients ≥ the median age of 62 years than for younger patients (SD: 12 mm versus 22 mm, P = 0.012).

CONCLUSION

MRI depicts pure ILC more accurately than conventional imaging and may have particular value for younger women.