Background: Multifocality is not listed among prognostic factors in international breast cancer guidelines. This study aims to analyze survival in multiple breast carcinomas (MFMC cc) compared to unifocal ones (UF cc), in order to assess the prognostic impact of multifocality.
Methods: The study included 460 breast carcinomas (2002-2006) with a median follow-up time of 104 months (74-134 months). We assessed mortality rates, overall survival at 5 years and 10 years in general, overall survival at 5 and 10 years in MFMC cc compared to UF cc, as well as median survival and survival rate according to age, T status and axillary lymph node status in MFMC cc compared to UF cc. We carried out a multivariate analysis in order to identify independent predictor factors for survival.
Results: 69/460 (15%) of cases were MFMC cc. Mortality rates were 56.5% in MFMC cc versus 45.1% (UF cc) (P = 0.08). 5-year overall survival was 55.9% in MFMC cc vs. 64.7% UF cc, and the 10-year overall survival was 34.9% MFMC cc vs. 52.7% UF cc (P = 0.27). Median survival in MFMC cc was 78 months (6.5 years), whereas in UF cc it was 126 months (10.5 years). However, in the multivariate analysis, survival was independently influenced only by tumor size and the presence of axillary lymph node metastases (P < 0.0001).
Conclusion: Breast cancer multifocality is associated with higher general mortality rates, lower 5 and 10-year overall survival, yields a lower median survival, but it does not constitute an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis.
Keywords: Multiple breast carcinoma; prognostic factor; survival.