Study of time-course changes in annual recurrence rates for breast cancer: data analysis of 2,209 patients for 10 years post-surgery.

Annual recurrence rates (ARR) are used to assess changes in the risk of breast cancer recurrence following surgery. In this retrospective study, ARR were calculated from the clinical records of 2,209 breast cancer patients who had undergone surgery. The time-course changes of ARR associated with prognostic/predictive factors were calculated. Overall, ARR decreased for 5 years following surgery and then remained almost constant. In hormone receptor (HR)-negative patients, ARR peaked after 2 years and peaked again at 6-7 years. In HR-positive patients, ARR peaked at 2 years. ARR increased in relation to the number of lymph-node metastases for 5 years, and peaked after 2 years in the absence and presence of venous invasion. The log-rank test demonstrated significant differences in recurrence between HR-negative and HR-positive cancer up to 5 years post-surgery. The presence of venous invasion had a significant effect on recurrence in the first 5 years, and the presence of lymph-node metastasis had a significant effect on recurrence up to and after 5 years. In conclusion, prognostic/predictive factors affected breast cancer recurrence in the first 5 years but had a lesser effect on recurrence more than 5 years post-surgery.

Tuberculosis of axillary lymph nodes with primary breast cancer.

A rare case of tuberculosis of axillary lymph nodes occurring with primary breast cancer is presented. A 78-year-old woman with no history of pulmonary tuberculosis was admitted to our hospital to undergo examination for a lump in her right breast. The tumor was in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast. On palpation, the tumor was 1.2 cm in diameter and axillary lymph node swelling was noted. Mammography disclosed a spiculated mass and swelling and calcification of the axillary lymph nodes. Sonography showed an irregular hypoechoic mass in the right breast and lymph node swelling in the right axilla, indicating breast cancer with axillary lymph nodes metastases. Chest X-ray showed clustered calcifications in the right axilla and a granular shadow in the right upper lobe. Breast conserving therapy was carried out. Invasive papillotubular carcinoma of the right breast and granulomas with calcification of lymph nodes, compatible with tuberculosis, was diagnosed. Tubercle bacillis were detected by culture of lymph nodes. This case suggests that X-ray is useful for diagnosing lymph node tuberculosis. Lymph node tuberculosis should be suspected when lymph node swelling is noted and X-ray shows clustered calcifications in axillary lymph nodes.

MR imaging of mucinous carcinoma of the breast.

OBJECTIVE: We examined retrospectively the MR imaging findings in eight patients with mucinous carcinoma of the breast to better describe the imaging characteristics of this disease. CONCLUSION: The MR imaging findings in mucinous carcinomas include dynamic curves of the gradually enhancing type and a very high signal intensity on T2-weighted images compared with other histologic types of invasive ductal carcinoma. These findings appear to be useful for diagnosis.