Nuclear grading and prognosis in node negative breast cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Accurate prognostic factors are crucial for managing node-negative breast cancer patients.
• Tumor characteristics like T category and nuclear grade require further evaluation for their prognostic value.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively assess the prognostic significance of T category and nuclear grade in node-negative breast cancer patients.
• To compare the independent and combined prognostic value of T category and nuclear grade on overall and relapse-free survival.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 287 node-negative breast cancer patients with at least five years of follow-up.
• Classification of cases based on nuclear grade and T category.
• Univariate and multivariate analyses to determine prognostic value.

Main Results:

• Both T category and nuclear grade significantly impacted five-year overall and relapse-free survival.
• Higher T category and higher nuclear grade were associated with poorer survival outcomes.
• T category and nuclear grade were independently associated with overall survival, with T category (T2-4 vs. T1) and nuclear grade (G2-3 vs. G1) showing significant relative risks.

Conclusions:

• T category and nuclear grade are valuable prognostic factors in node-negative breast cancer.
• While not sufficient for selecting patients for adjuvant therapy, they offer a cost-effective and simpler alternative to newer indicators.
• These factors should be utilized for prognostic assessment in clinical practice.