Clinicopathological profile and treatment outcome of squamous cell carcinoma breast at a tertiary cancer center in South India

Summary

Background

Squamous cell carcinoma of the breast (SCCB) is a rare entity with limited data pertaining to the clinicopathological profile and treatment outcome. These tumors are characterized by rapid progression and have a poor outcome. The optimal therapy for SCCB has not yet been standardized. Most patients with SCCB are treated with the similar conventional chemotherapy regimens used in the ductal variant of breast cancer.

Methods

This was an observational study of patients diagnosed with SCCB diagnosed from March 2013 to February 2015 at our institute. The medical records were reviewed and patients were contacted by telephone to study the clinicopathological profile and treatment outcome.

Results

We identified 5 (0.45%) patients of SCCB out of 1100 breast cancer patients treated in the department of medical oncology during this period. The median age at presentation was 48 years. All tumor specimens showed macroscopic findings of a cystic lesion and central necrosis. After a median follow-up of 32 months, 3 patients (60%) were alive, whereas 2 (40%) patients succumbed to disease progression after recurrence.

Conclusion

SCCB is a rare subtype of breast cancer with no standard treatment approach. These are associated with poor prognosis and larger studies are needed to investigate different treatment options.

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