Phyllodes tumors of the breast: Analysis of 35 cases from a single institution.

BACKGROUND: Phyllodes tumors are rare fibroepithelial breast tumors with diverse biological behavior. Our study aim is to review the clinico-pathological features, prognostic factors and treatment outcome for patients presenting with phyllodes tumors of the breast to the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and pathological data of 35 women of histologically proved phyllodes tumors of the breast retrieved between January 1994 and December 2012. RESULTS: The median age was 40years (21-63years). The median pathological tumor size was 6.8cm (3-25cm). Histologically, one patient (3%) presented with benign, 13 (37%) with borderline and 21 (60%) with malignant phyllodes. Twenty-eight patients (80%) were premenopausal. Twenty (57%) were ultimately treated with mastectomy (3 borderline, and 17 malignant) and 15 (43%) with conservative surgery (1 benign, 10 borderline and 4 malignant). Axillary staging was carried out in 9 patients (1 borderline and 8 malignant), none of them had nodal metastasis. Four patients with malignant phyllodes received postoperative radiotherapy. After a median follow-up period of 52months (range 5-211months), 5 developed local recurrence (1 benign, 2 borderline and 2 malignant). One patient with malignant phyllodes developed distant lung metastasis. The overall 5-year relapse free survival (RFS) was 74% (68% for borderline and 84% for malignant phyllodes). According to the treatment modality, the 5-year RFS was 69% for conservative surgery compared to 87% for mastectomy. It was 100% for irradiated patients versus 71% for non irradiated patients. CONCLUSION: Phyllodes tumors are rare tumors that occur in relatively young women, when compared with the classical adenocarcinoma of the breast. They have a tendency to reach large sizes with absence of nodal metastasis. Although surgery is the mainstay of management, postoperative radiotherapy also appears to decrease the local recurrence rates in certain presentations.

Significance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Assessed Tumor Response for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Treated With Preoperative Long-Course Chemoradiation.

PURPOSE: To study the predictive and prognostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-assessed tumor response after long-course neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: This study included 79 patients who had T3 or T4 and/or N+ rectal cancer treated with long-course neoadjuvant chemoradiation. MRI-assessed tumor regression grade (mrTRG) was assessed in 64 patients. MRIs were reviewed by the study radiologist. Surgical and pathologic reports for those who underwent surgery were reviewed. Disease-free survival (DFS) was estimated. Progression during therapy, local relapse, metastasis, and death resulting from the tumor were classified as events. Statistical significance was calculated. RESULTS: In 11 patients, the tumor completely disappeared on MRI; that is, it had an mrTRG of 1. All but one patient, who chose deferred surgery, had a complete pathologic response (pCR), with a positive predictive value of nearly 100%. Of the 20 patients who had an mrTRG of 2 on MRI, six had a pCR. mrTRG 3, mrTRG 4, and mrTRG 5 were detected in 24, six, and three patients, respectively, of whom only one patient had a pCR. The 2-year DFS was 77%. The mrTRG was significant for DFS. The 2-year DFS was 88% for patients with a good response versus 66% for those with a poor response (P = .046). CONCLUSION: MRI-assessed complete tumor response was strongly correlated with pCR and, therefore, can be used as a surrogate marker to predict absence of viable tumor cells. Our results can be used to implement use of mrTRGs in larger prospective correlative studies as a tool to select patients for whom deferred surgery may be appropriate. Also, those with a poor response may be offered further treatment options before definitive surgery.