Purpose: To describe the pathologic characteristics and prognostic factors of primary breast sarcomas (PBSs).
Patients and methods: We reviewed the clinical records and pathologic slides of 83 women with PBS treated in our institution between 1954 and 1991, with a median follow-up of 7.8 years. The majority of patients had undergone surgical treatment.
Results: The main histologic type was malignant fibrohistiocytoma (n = 57). For the whole population, the 10-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 62% and 50%, respectively. For Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer grade 1, 2, and 3 tumors, the 10-year OS and DFS rates were 82% and 61%, 62% and 51%, and 36% and 25%, respectively (P =.00007 and.004, respectively). For tumors measuring less than 5 cm, 5 to 10 cm, and more than 10 cm, the 10-year OS and DFS rates were 76% and 66%, 68% and 55%, and 28% and 15%, respectively (P =.002 and.009, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, the tumor size and histologic grade were correlated with the 10-year DFS rate (P =.04 and.01, respectively), but only the histologic grade was correlated with OS (P =.01). Angiosarcoma was the only histologic type significantly associated with a poorer outcome in the multivariate analysis.
Conclusion: PBSs have the same clinical history and prognostic factors as sarcomas arising at other sites. Therefore, it is legitimate to use a similar treatment strategy for PBS as for other sarcomas.