Sarcomas of the breast: a clinico-pathological study of 67 patients with long term follow-up

A national Danish series of 68 breast sarcomas from 66 women and one man (age 17-86 years) was investigated. Tumour sections from 22 stromal sarcomas (SS), 24 phyllodes tumors of malignant type (MCSP), seven phyllodes tumors of borderline type (BLCSP), four malignant fibrous histocytomas (MFH), eight liposarcomas, two angiosarcomas and one leiomyosarcoma were reviewed retrospectively, and all patients were traced with a minimum follow-up of 15 years. Tumor contours appeared to be the best prognostic factor in predicting the risk of metastatic spread. Stromal overgrowth of MCSP was considered less utilizable due to difficulties in distinguishing between MCSP with marked stromal overgrowth and SS, which we consider as a variety of MCSP and which only showed slightly increased death rates compared to MCSP (45% versus 38%). Both angiosarcomas and the leiomyosarcoma proved lethal, and the other sarcoma subtypes had a death frequency of about 50%, with the exception of BLCSP, neither of which proved lethal. All patients, who died from metastases, were dead within 5 years irrespective of treatment. No positive lymph nodes were identified at the time of primary treatment, supporting the findings of previous investigators. We therefore advocate simple mastectomy or local excision with a wide margin as sufficient treatment of breast sarcomas. The indications for adjuvant therapy is as yet unclarified.