Histopathologic high risk factors influencing the prognosis of patients with early breast cancer (T₁N₀M₀)

A retrospective study of 78 women with early breast cancer was undertaken with the aim of detecting histopathologic risk factors that would influence the prognosis of these patients. Histologic tumor type, nuclear grade of tumor, tumor margin, and lymphoid infiltration near the tumor as well as blood vessel invasion and lymphatic tumor emboli were evaluated. The overall 10 year survival rate was 79.2 percent. In correlating the aforementioned criteria against survival rate, it was found that the patients without any of the histopathologic risk factors had a 100 percent rate, whereas those with one risk factor had a 79 percent rate and those with two or more risk factors a 66 percent rate. Nuclear grade and lymphoid infiltration were found to have the highest significance in regard to recurrence and the mortality rate. The findings of this study suggest that in patients classified as having T₁N₀M₀ disease without any of the histopathologic risk factors, operation is the only treatment indicated. Patients with one or more positive risk factors should receive adequate adjuvant therapy in order to increase their survival rate.