Breast carcinoma and phyllodes tumour: a case series

Malignant transformation of the epithelial component of phyllodes tumours (PT) is rare and only reported in literature as sporadic cases of carcinoma associated with PTs. We report the clinicopathological characteristics of in situ and invasive carcinoma coexisting with PT in 10 patients treated in our institution over an 11-year period from 1992 to 2012. Ten patients with coexisting PT and in situ or invasive carcinoma were identified from our records. Six had carcinoma found within the PT. All were female with a median age of 47 (43-72) years. One patient had a history of PT in the same breast while another had a history of PT in the same breast as well as invasive ductal carcinoma in the contralateral breast. The rest did not have any risk factors of breast cancer. Five patients had a preoperative core needle biopsy performed with the report of a fibroepithelial lesion. The rest of the patients had surgery upfront for their breast masses. Two patients who had ER/PR positive invasive carcinoma received adjuvant hormonal therapy. Patients were followed up for a mean of 3.6 years (9 months-10 years) and all patients were alive and recurrence free. PT associated with carcinoma is rare, and we present a series of cases that add to the limited current literature. It is often difficult to detect the presence of the carcinomatous component preoperatively. Hence, close examination of resected PT specimens must be carried out to allow prompt detection of any associated carcinomas, however rare, such that adequate treatment can be given.