Clinicopathological characteristics and outcome of high grade breast cancer: Our 9 years' experience

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Introduction: The aim was to determine the characteristics of G3 breast cancers as well as to evaluate the treatment patients received and their outcome in terms of overall- and disease-free survival. Materials and Methods: 2,407 women affected by invasive breast cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups according to the grading, to compare G3 cancers with G1 and G2 ones. Tumor, population characteristics, management, and outcomes were considered in the analysis. Results: The authors found that G3 breast cancers were associated with tumor characteristics indicative of more aggressive behavior and with reduced overall and disease- free survival. Although they were more frequently treated with demolitive surgery and chemotherapy, prognosis of G3 tumors at Stages I and II did not change in case of radical or conservative surgical treatment, while Stage III G3 tumors had a significant prognostic advantage by conservative surgery. Conclusions: G3 breast cancers should be considered with particular attention for their aggressiveness when planning the therapeutic procedure. However, breast demolitive surgery should be carefully scheduled and reserved to women who can not benefit from complementary therapies to conservative surgery.

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