Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma: Clinicopathological Parameters and Prognostic Profile

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pathology
• Genetics

Background:

• Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare and aggressive breast cancer subtype.
• It is characterized by a heterologous non-glandular component and often presents with a triple-negative profile.
• MBC generally has a poorer prognosis compared to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinicopathological parameters of MBC.
• To assess recurrence and survival rates in MBC patients.
• To identify associations between histological differentiation and clinical outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective observational study was conducted over five years.
• Histopathological review of 183 Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma cases.
• Immunohistochemistry for Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), and HER2/neu was performed.

Main Results:

• The most common age group was 36-50 years, with a mean age of 48.84 years.
• Tumor stage T3 (50%) and Grade III (78.7%) were prevalent. Nodal metastasis occurred in 40% of cases.
• Squamous differentiation (70.5%) was the most frequent, associated with HER2/neu positivity. Recurrence was observed in 31.4% of cases, with a 71.4% survival rate.

Conclusions:

• Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a distinct subtype requiring careful histopathological identification due to varied differentiation.
• Squamous differentiation is the most common subtype and is linked to HER2/neu positivity.
• High recurrence rates in MBC significantly impact patient survival, highlighting the need for targeted therapies.