Impact of Preoperative MRI on Surgical and Long-term Outcome in Patients With Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC): A...

Preoperative MRI is used for staging breast cancer and is considered particularly useful in invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare diagnostic, operative and long-term outcomes in ILC patients who underwent preoperative breast MRI to those who did not.

Between 2010 and 2012, 361 patients with postoperative diagnosis of ILC were enrolled in this study.

Preoperative MRI was performed for 245 (67.9%) women. MRI identified 21 additional cancers and resulted in 62 benign findings. Reoperation rate due to insufficient margins was lower in the MRI group 11 (8.8%) compared to no-MRI group 14 (21.9%), P = .014. Mastectomy rates were equal, 131 (53.5%) and 62 (53.4%), P = 1.000. No statistical difference was found in local recurrences; 2 (1.8%) versus 2 (3.8%), P = .596, nor in 10-year disease-free survival, 88.5% compared to 84.5%, P = .295. The 10-year overall survival was 79.0% and 74.5%, P = .351. Preoperative MRI did not decrease the risk of breast cancer recurrence nor increase survival in ILC patients. The reoperation rate was lower in the MRI-group, but the preoperative MRI had a large proportion of false positive findings.

Preoperative MRI did not affect long-term outcomes in ILC patients; however, recurrence rates were low in both groups. ILC patients may benefit from preoperative MRI, as the reoperation rate was lower.