The Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Prognostic Significance of Triple - Negative Invasive Breast Cancer Phenotype

Introduction. Triple-negative phenotype is defined by a primary tumor that is estrogen, progesterone and HER2/neu receptor negative. This cancer subtype is important because of its close relation to the basal-like breast cancer and its profound investigation could help to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Aim of the study. Is to evaluate triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC) clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic significance. Materials and Methods. We have retrospectively analyzed 76 unselected invasive breast cancer patients' cases diagnosed between 2005 and 2010 from RAKUS Pathological center and PSKUS. TNBC were defined as tumors that were estrogen, progesterone receptor negative, and HER2/neu negative. The clinicopathological features and prognostic significance were explored. Results. 45 of 76 cases (59.2%) were defined as TNBC. The median follow-up from the original diagnosis until analysis was 24(range, 5- 48) months in the TNBC group and 22.6 (range, 3- 65) months in the non- TNBC group. The mean age at diagnosis was significantly younger for the TNBC group compared with non-TNBC group (55.5 versus 62.1years, respectively; p < 0.021). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the T stage, lymph node status and histological type and stage of disease. Patients in the TNBC group were more likely to have grade III tumors (58.8% versus 29.2%; p< 0.05). In the TNBC group in 2 (4.4%) patients' cases local recurrence occurred, versus 0 (0.0%) in the other group within the follow-up period (p< 0.051). The average time to local recurrence for patients with TNBC was 14 months (range, 12 - 16 months). A high proportion of patients with TNBC experienced distant recurrence compared with patients with non- TNBC (22.2% versus 0.0%, respectively; p< 0.017). The average time to distant recurrence for patients with TNBC was 14.2 months (range, 5 - 32 months). In the TNBC group 7 (15.5%) breast cancer-related deaths were detected versus no deaths in the other group, respectively. Conclusion. TNBC was associated with younger age and higher histologic grade. TNBC had aggressive clinical course and high rate of early recurrence.