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Validation study of the UICC TNM classification of malignant tumors, seventh edition, in breast cancer

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Abstract

Background

The TNM classification of the Unio Internationalis Contra Cancrum was revised for the seventh edition. The major change concerning breast cancer is a change in the stages for patients with T0 or T1N1miM0. In the present study, the seventh edition of the TNM classification was validated in breast cancer.

Methods

The stages of 416 breast cancer patients, treated at our hospital in 1996, were classified according to the TNM classification, sixth and seventh editions, and their prognoses were compared.

Results

Case distribution using the sixth edition was stage 0, 56 cases (13.5 %); stage I, 158 cases (38.0 %); stage II, 130 [A, 102; B, 28] cases (31.2 [A, 24.5; B, 6.7] %); and stage III, 72 [A, 31; B, 8; C, 33] cases (17.3 [A, 7.5; B, 1.9; C, 7.9] %). According to the seventh edition, the stages for 20 patients, accounting for 19.6 % of IIA cases according to the sixth edition, decreased from IIA to IB. The 10-year overall survivals were stage 0, 91.1 %; stage I, 88.6 %; stage II, 80.8 %; and stage III, 63.9 % according to the sixth edition; and stage 0, 91.1 %; stage I, 88.8 %; stage II, 79.1 %; and stage III, 63.9 % according to the seventh edition. Although no significant differences were seen among the survival rates for stages 0 to II according to the sixth edition, there was a significant difference between stage I and II according to the seventh edition (p = 0.026).

Conclusion

The latest revision of the TNM classification is appropriate for breast cancer from the perspective of prognosis.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Breast Oncology Center, Cancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan

    Natsue Uehiro, Takuji Iwase, Masahiko Tanabe, Takehiko Sakai, Hidetomo Morizono, Kiyomi Kimura, Kotaro Iijima, Yumi Miyagi, Seiichiro Nishimura, Masujiro Makita & Yoshinori Ito

  2. Division of Pathology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan

    Natsue Uehiro & Futoshi Akiyama

  3. Division of Pathology, Cancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 3-8-31 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan

    Rie Horii

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  1. Natsue Uehiro
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  2. Rie Horii
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Correspondence to Rie Horii.

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Uehiro, N., Horii, R., Iwase, T. et al. Validation study of the UICC TNM classification of malignant tumors, seventh edition, in breast cancer. Breast Cancer 21, 748–753 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-013-0453-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-013-0453-7

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