Medullary carcinoma of the breast: ten year clinical experience of the Kuwait cancer control centre.

Abstract Background: Medullary carcinomas of the breast account for fewer than 7% of all invasive breast cancers. Some investigators include medullary carcinomas in the favourable histologic subtype, despite its aggressive histologic appearance. However, others fail to confirm its favourable prognosis. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of sixty-one (61) cases of breast cancer cases diagnosed with Medullary Carcinoma, presenting to the Kuwait Cancer Control Center between 1995 and 2005. Results: Median survival time was 122 months and the seven-year disease free survival was 82%. Overall survival rate was not assessed as no cases died during the study period. No cases were metastatic from the start and only eight cases developed metastases, local recurrence or contralateral breast primary. 68.8% of the cases were Stage I or IIA (i.e. no lymph node affection). Conclusion: There is no overt favourable prognosis of medullary carcinoma when compared to invasive ductal carcinoma. Prognosis is more related to stage than histologic subtyping. The majority of cases were negative estrogen and progesterone receptor status and node negative. Keywords: Breast, Medullary carcinoma, favourable histology.