How to approach phyllodes tumors of the breast?

Abstract

Objective: Phyllodes tumor of the breast is a rare fibroepithelial breast tumor that comprise 0.3-0.9% of primary breast neoplasms. In this study, we aimed to present clinicopathologic symptoms of our patients along with their treatment modality.
Material and Methods: Clinicopathologic properties and treatment modality of 20 phyllodes patients who underwent surgery between January 2008 and January 2013 were retrospectively evaluated.
Results: Median patient age was 46.55 years (22-75). Fine-needle aspiration biopsy was applied to 19 patients. Biopsy results were reported as suspicious in four, malignant in three, benign in 11, and as non-diagnostic in one patient. Final histopathology reports revealed two benign, one malignant and one borderline tumor out of the four patients with suspicious findings on fine needle aspiration biopsy; all patients with malignant cytology had malignancy. There were two borderline and nine benign lesions within the benign biopsy group. Sixteen patients underwent segmental mastectomy, four patients underwent mastectomy with/without axillary dissection. The median tumor size was 6 (1-13) cm. Histopathologically, 11 (55%) tumors were benign, 5 (25%) were borderline, and 4 (20%) were malignant. Two of the four patients with malignancy underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and one patient only received chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment.
Conclusion: Phyllodes tumors are rare, mix-type breast tumors. Due to high rates of local recurrence and potential for malignancy, preoperative diagnosis and accurate management are important.

Ethics committee approval was received for this study from the ethics committee of İzmir Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital (Decision number: 168; Date: 02.08.2013).

Written informed consent was obtained from patients who participated in this study.

Externally peer-reviewed.

Concept - T.A., E.T., M.H., E.K., M.P., S.Y., Ö.G., N.C., A.A.S., F.T.; Design - T.A., E.T., M.H., E.K., M.P., S.Y., Ö.G., N.C., A.A.S., F.T.; Supervision - T.A., E.T., M.H., E.K., M.P., S.Y., Ö.G., N.C., A.A.S., F.T.; Funding - T.A., E.T.; Materials - T.A., S.Y., A.A.S.; Data Collection and/or Processing - T.A., E.K.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - T.A., E.T., M.H., E.K., M.P., S.Y., Ö.G., N.C., A.A.S., F.T.; Literature Review - T.A., E.T., M.H., E.K., M.P., S.Y., Ö.G., N.C., A.A.S., F.T.; Writer - T.A.; Critical Review - M.H., M.P.

No conflict of interest was declared by the authors. 


The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.