Clinical and Histopathological Correlations of Phyllodes Tumors of the Breast

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Phyllodes tumors are relatively rare fibroepithelial tumors of the breast. There are no strict criteria for the classification of benign and malignant phyllodes tumor. The recurrence rate is relatively high, and no single criterion for predicting recurrence has yet been established. In an attempt to define the clinical features and their histopathological correlations, we have reviewed a total of 38 patients with original pathological diagnoses of cystosarcoma phyllodes and phyllodes tumors. METHODS: Thirty-eight cases of phyllodes tumors were reviewed. Microscopic slides were re-examined and reclassified using newly defined histologic criteria which were modified from those of Pietruszka et al. The pathologic criteria examined were the number of mitoses, the invasiveness of the tumor border, the stromal overgrowth, and the stromal cellular pleomorphism. The clinical features evaluated included age, incidence, clinical manifestation, surgical procedure, and recurrence. RESULTS: The mean age was 34.9 +/- 12.4 years with the peak age between 40 and 49. The yearly incidence trend showed a slow increase. Twenty-three tumors (62%) fullfilled the criteria for benign phyllodes tumors, seven tumors (19%) were borderline, and seven tumors (19%) were malignant. The mean ages of the patients with benign, borderline, and malignant phyllodes tumors were 31.9, 39.1, and 40.9 years, respectively. The sizes of the benign phyllodes tumors were smaller than those of the borderline or the malignant tumors. Recurrence was found after initial excision in two patients with benign phyllodes tumors. However, after an initial wide excision, there was no recurrence in five patients with borderline and malignant tumors. CONCLUSIONS: There were no dependable histopathological features to predict recurrence; that is, histologic type does not influence the rate of recurrence or the prognosis after an adequate excision.