Case Study on an Approach to the Management of Locally Advanced Carcinoma of Breast

Abstract

BACKGROUND Locally Advanced Carcinoma Breast Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in female and in developing countries, majority of them present in locally advanced stages. Patients presenting with LABC constitute a diverse group for which a variety of treatment modalities have be en instituted with coordinated treatment planning among the medical oncologist, surgical oncologist and radiation oncologist. The study is conducted to know the incidence, age distribution and common modes of presentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a prospective study of 50 patients presenting with Stage III and inflammatory breast cancer to MNR Medical College and Hospital, Department of General Surgery from December 2014 to December 2015. RESULTS Majority of the patients, 35 (70%) of the patients were doing well at the end of the study. The most distressing outcome was development of distant metastasis in 4 (8%) of the patients. These cases included one inflammatory carcinoma and other three were Stage IIIB, two of which had not responded to NACT and had remained inoperable. Local recurrence was seen in 3 (6%) of the patients. Two of these cases were of Stage IIIA and was not on radiotherapy. One case belonged to Stage IIIB and had completed radiotherapy; 8 (16%) of the cases were lost to followup. CONCLUSION Multimodality therapy is effective in treatment of locally advanced carcinoma of breast, but distant metastasis is seen in four patients and local recurrence in 3 patients shows that management is still a challenge and improvements in current therapies and newer modalities are needed to further reduce disease free and overall survival.