321PCLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOMES OF BREAST CANCER PATIENTS WITH COLLAGEN DISORDERS

ABSTRACT Aim: Treatment for breast cancer with collagen disorder is complicated due to the use of steroids and immunosuppressants, and its clinical course is thus interesting. We herein report the results of an investigation on breast cancer in women with collagen disorders. Methods: The subjects were 25 patients with collagen disorders among those diagnosed with breast cancer who had received treatment at our hospital from 2003 to 2011. We examined clinicopathological factors, treatment, recurrence-free survival rates and overall survival rates. Results: The mean age was 57 years (31-84 years), and the clinical stage was I in14 cases, II in 8, and III in 3. The status of lymph node metastasis was N0 in 15 cases and N1 in 10. Concomitant collagen disorders included rheumatoid arthritis in 11 cases, systemic lupus erythematosus in 4, dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease, and Sjogren's syndrome in 2 cases each, and scleroderma and adult onset Still's disease in 1 case each. The status of hormone receptors (HR) and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) expression was as follows: ER(+)HER2(-) in 18 cases (72.0%), HER(+)HER2(+) in 2 (8.0%), HR(-)HER2(+) in 1 (4.0%), triple negative in 4 (16.0%). While there was no bias in clinicopathological factors, 21 of the 25 cases (84.0%) had received steroids and/or immunosuppressants for collagen disorders. After a median observation period of 47 months, the recurrence-free survival and overall survival rate was 64.5% and 80.7%, respectively, lower than those of breast cancer patient who underwent surgery at approximately the same time (n = 476, recurrence-free survival rate: 85.3%, overall survival rate: 94.3%. Conclusions: In breast cancer cases with collagen disorders, steroids and/or other immunosuppressants were frequently administered, and both recurrence-free survival and overall survival rates were comparatively low. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.