Analysis of the Clinicopathologic Features and Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical and pathological features,as well as prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer patients.METHODS A total of 509 cases of operable breast cancer from January,2002 to June,2002 treated in the Cancer Hospital of Tianjin Medical University were analyzed.The Her-2,ER and PR status was determined using immunohistochemistry.Of the total cases,one group was identifi ed as triple negative breast cancer,ie defi ned as ER,PR and Her-2 negative.The other group was non-triple-negative breast cancer.Clinicopathologic features of the groups were compared and 5-year disease-free survival(DFS) analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method.RESULTS Of the total cases,21.4%(109/509) of cases were found to be triple-negative while 78.6%(400/509) were non-triple-negative.The triple negative group had higher incidence rates than the non-triple-negative group of the medullary type and Grade Ⅲ tumors(P < 0.05).There was no other difference in the clinicopathologic features between the 2 groups.From follow-up to June,2007,21.1%(23/109) of the triple-negative group and 12.7%(51/400) of the non-triple negative group had a local recurrence or distant metastasis,resulting in a signifi cant difference(P < 0.05).In the triple-negative group and non-triple-negative group,5-year DFS were 78.9% and 87.3% respectively.There was a statistically signifi cant difference between the 2 groups(P = 0.031).CONCLUSION Compared with non-triple-negative breast cancer,triple-negative breast cancer patients have an increased likehood of a local recurrence or distant metastasis and a poorer prognosis.