The prognostic significance of the supraclavicular lymph node metastases in breast cancer patients

Abstract Purpose: To define the patterns of failure and outcome of patients presenting supraclavicular lymph node involvement and the prognostic significance of supraclavicular lymph node involvement. Methods and Materials: We reviewed the history of 795 breast cancer patients treated at the Department of Radiation Therapy, University of Wurzburg between 1978 and 1988. The clinical and pathologic features of 21 patients who had ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastases at primary diagnosis and 38 patients who presented supraclavicular lymph node recurrence during the course of disease were reviewed. These were compared with the features of 20 patients who initially had M 1 status at primary diagnosis and 278 patients who had developed distant metastases in the follow-up period. Survival rates were calculated starting from the time of diagnosis of supraclavicular involvement respective of distant metastases. Results: Survival from appearance of supraclavicular lymph node metastases at primary diagnosis or as a recurrence is not different from survival of patients presenting with a primary M 1 stage or presenting distant metastases during the course of disease. Two and 5-year survival rates of patients with supraclavicular lymph node involvement at primary diagnosis were 52% and 34% compared to 50% and 16% 2- and 5-year survival rate of patients with supraclavicular lymph node involvement as a recurrence. Patients who presented a primary M 1 -status had 2- and 5-year survival rates of 56% and 24%. Survival of patients with distant metastases calculated from the onset of metastatic disease was similar to that of the other three groups with a 46% and 16% survival rate at 2 and 5 years. There was no difference in survival rates between the four groups. Conclusion: The prognostic significance of suproclavicular lymph node involvement at primary diagnosis or as a relapse is similar, both have the same significance as the first distant relapse and are characterized by a poor prognosis.