Background:Metaplastic carcinoma breast (MBC) is a rare & aggressive tumour, accounting for <1% of all breast cancers. 5-yr survival rate is 65% vs. 89% for conventional Invasive ductal cancer. Treatment paradigm is based on that of conventional IDC since available evidence is largely institutional case series-based. We aspire to add to the existing literature and study the clinico-epidemiologic and pathologic features in cases we came across
Aim: To evaluate & study the clinico-epidemiologic parameters, tumour characteristics, hormone receptor status, & marker positivity of metaplastic carcinoma breast.
Methods:Patients of breast lump presenting during the study period of 2009 – 2014, proven to have metaplastic carcinoma on histopathology were included in the study. Clinical presentation (age, menopausal status), tumour characteristics (size, grade, stage, margins, nodes, marker positivity) were studied.
Results:We encountered 33 cases during the study. Of the total, 1 patient was male. The mean age was 48.55 yrs ranging from 23-88 yrs. Cases were clustered in the 4th-5th decade of life. Based on conclusive oncological diagnosis, 23 patients underwent Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM). Resected tumour was more commonly a pT3 disease. Of the 4 patients with nodal disease 1 had N3, 1 had N2 and 2 had N1 disease. 19 cases were triple negative tumours (ER, PR, Her2neu) & most were positive for epithelial markers and sarcomatous markers. 1 case had lymphovascular invasion and none had perineural invasion.
Conclusions:Metaplastic carcinoma at present, is at best a large pool of case series. With increasing recognition of its histopathological characteristics, known poor prognoses & a lack of uniform guidelines, it is pertinent that this entity is studied in its entirety.Increased awareness of its occurrence with subsequent data collection & analysis shall be the key in highlighting the natural history of the disease subset. This would further be instrumental in formulating management protocols.