Lymph node status as a prognostic factor in BRCA-positive breast cancer

The incidence of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) seems to be higher in BRCA-positive than sporadic breast cancer. We compared the oncologic outcomes of BRCA-positive breast cancer patients managed with breast-conserving surgery, simple mastectomy or mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction.

Thirty four BRCA-positive breast cancers were grouped according to surgical treatment: breast-conserving surgery (n = 17), simple mastectomy (n = 9), and mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction (n = 8). Clinicopathologic factors and oncologic outcomes were compared during a 3-y mean follow-up.

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy and nodal and pathologic stages differed significantly between the breast-conserving and simple mastectomy groups. There was no oncologic event in the breast-conserving group during follow-up; however, IBTR and distant metastasis occurred in the simple mastectomy and mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction groups. Nodal stage was associated with IBTR in both these groups whereas pathologic stage was associated with distant metastasis only in the simple mastectomy group.

Although there were no differences in oncologic outcomes between the three groups, the nodal stage was strongly associated with IBTR in patients with BRCA-positive breast cancer. IBTR may be attributable to nodal stage and pathologic tumor stage.