ABSTRACT
Objective: This study aims to analyze and identify the clinicopathology, prognosis and therapy of patients with breast pure tubular carcinoma (PTC). Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinicopathology and outcomes in 45 patients with breast PTC from January 2004 to December 2008 at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital was performed. Results: The incidence rate of lymph node metastasis was low while the less number of positive lymph nodes in patients with axillary lymph node metastasis (not more than three). It was also found that p53 (P = 0.044) and bilateral breast cancer (P = 0.004) were risk factors affecting the disease-free survival of breast PTC according to univariate analysis, while the regression model analysis showed that they were not independent risk factors affecting prognosis of PTC. The 5-year diease-free survival was 91.1%, meanwhile the 5-year overall survival was 100.0% in 45 patients with breast PTC. Radiotherapy (P = 0.300) didn't show a significant effect on the prognosis of patients with breast PTC. Conclusion: The axillary lymph node cleaning may be replaced with sentinel lymph node biopsy based on the low rate of lymph node metastasis and good prognosis, in order to reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications and improve the quality of life. For breast PTC patients with more than three axillary lymph node metastasis, the use of radiotherapy still need further studies and should be discussed.