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• The NSABP B35 trial:
  • Was a phase 3 clinical trial that randomized postmenopausal women with ER positive DCIS (n = 3,104) to either five years of anastrozole or tamoxifen following breast-conserving surgery and radiation:
    • The trial sought to determine how effective anastrozole was compared to tamoxifen in preventing a breast cancer occurrence
  • With a median follow-up of 9 years:
    • Investigators found significantly fewer breast cancer events in the anastrozole group (n = 90) than in the tamoxifen group (n = 122)
    • The 10-year breast cancer event rate was lower among women randomized to anastrozole compared to tamoxifen:
      • 6.9% [anastrozole] vs. 10.9% [tamoxifen], HR 0.73, p=0.02
    • This recorded difference in breast cancer events was attributable almost entirely to:
      • Younger postmenopausal women less than 60 years of age who received tamoxifen
    • Women less than 60 receiving tamoxifen had nearly twice the events as those receiving anastrozole:
      • Events on tamoxifen: 63 vs events on anastrozole: 34, HR 0.53 (0.35-0.80), p=0.0026)
    • Interestingly, the difference between treatments did not become apparent until after 5 years of follow-up:
      • Likely due to the low number of events in both groups
    • There was no difference in overall survival (OS) between the two treatment groups:
      • The 10-year estimates for overall survival were 92.1% for the tamoxifen group and 92.5% for the anastrozole group (p=0.38)
    • In B-35, anastrozole was found to further significantly reduce the rate of contralateral invasive cancer compared with tamoxifen
  • Based on this trial and others:
    • Aromatase inhibitors are the preferred adjuvant hormonal therapy for ER positive disease in post-menopausal women with either DCIS or invasive breast cancer:
      • Provided they have no contraindications to taking an aromatase inhibitor
• References
  • Margolese RG, Cecchini RS, Julian TB, Ganz PA, Constantino JP, Vallow LA, et al. Anastrozole versus tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with ductal carcinoma in situ undergoing lumpectomy plus radiotherapy (NSABP B-35): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 clinical trial. Lancet. 2016;387(10021):849-856
  • M Baum, AU Budzar, J Cuzick, et al., ATAC Trialists’ Group. Anastrozole alone or in combination with tamoxifen versus tamoxifen alone for adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with early breast cancer: first results of the ATAC randomized trial. Lancet. 2002;359(9324):2131-2139.

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• Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM):
  • Is a rare benign inflammatory breast disease first described in 1972 by Kessler and Wolloch
• The most common presenting symptom is:
  • A unilateral, firm, and discrete breast mass:
    • Which may be accompanied by overlying skin changes and / or possible lymph node involvement
    • The average duration of symptoms is around 3.9 months with:
      • The most common signs and symptoms including:
        • Discrete mass
        • Tenderness to palpation
        • Erythema
        • Swelling
      • The pain could be out of proportion to findings:
        • Suggestive of a localized ischemic etiology
      • The pain could be a motivating factor in prompting all symptomatic patients to seek consultation
  • The lesion may occur in any quadrant of the breast:
    • But often extends radially from the retroareolar region
• The disease often presents in women:
  • Of childbearing age:
    • With a recent history of pregnancy or ongoing lactation:
      • The mean age of diagnosis is around:
        • 31.7 years and all within reproductive years
      • The high majority of women are:
        • Hispanic or African / African-American ancestry
      • A history of previous granulomatous disease (tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, autoimmune disease, or granulomatous disease) is very rare
• The overlap of presenting symptoms with other disease processes such as:
  • Malignancy, acute or chronic infections, and chronic inflammatory diseases:
    • Makes definitive diagnosis difficult
• Because the differential may include malignancy:
  • The patient may experience significant anxiety during the evaluation
• In addition, the broad differential and the lack of pathognomonic features make definitive diagnosis difficult:
  • Often resting as a diagnosis of exclusion on a clinical basis
• The typical mammographic and ultrasonographic findings of granulomatous mastitis are:
  • Mammogram:
    • Ill-defined mass to an asymmetric density without specific margins
    • It is usually not accompanied by microcalcifications or architectural distortion
• Ultrasound:
  • Heterogeneously hypoechoic lesion
  • Segmental masses with ill-defined margins, with tubular structures extending from the mass:
    • The tubular structures may be clustered, separate or contiguous
• Malignant features or findings:
  • Suspicious microcalcifications, architectural distortion, or intra-ductal mass:
    • Would warrant appropriate histologic diagnosis and subsequent management
• If the findings clinically and radiographically indicate an abscess:
  • They warrant treatment with antibiotics along with drainage by aspiration or incision, if the abscess is larger
• Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is usually regarded as a sterile process:
  • However, there is evidence to suggest a link to Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii infection or colonization:
    • This would then mandate routine cultures
  • One-third of the patients with granulomatous mastitis who are evaluated:
    • Have findings suggestive of an abscess
• Because diagnosis is difficult, patients typically have received:
  • Prolonged courses of antibiotics, frequent biopsies, or surgical procedures
• With a lack of pathognomonic imaging findings associated with granulomatous mastitis:
  • Histopathology is key to confirming a diagnosis
• Histologically:
  • The disease has been described as non-caseating granulomas among epithelioid histiocytes and multinucleated giant cells surrounded by lymphocytes and plasma cells
  • Histologic differentials begin with the use of:
    • Hematoxylin and eosin stains, gram stain, and may also include acid fast stains and Grocott’s methenamine silver to evaluate for the possibility of sarcoidosis or mycobacterium infection
• Once the diagnosis is made, treatment strategies are not clearly delineated but are often supportive
• Steroid treatment has been shown to decrease the extent of involvement, and enable complete resection with removal of less breast tissue should resection be pursued:
  • However, lower doses have also proven to be efficacious and help to avoid adverse effects of weight gain, hyperglycemia, and Cushingoid symptoms
  • Regimens of 16 mg of prednisone twice a day for two weeks with a slow taper over a two-month period are described in the literature, as is prednisolone 30 mg/day for eight weeks, with taper
• If symptoms do not improve, a course of methotrexate could be utilized:
  • Since there is a contingent who feel that this disease is an abnormal immune response
  • Success with methotrexate, including administration in steroid refractory cases:
    • Is limited to small studies of 3 to 5 patients
  • In consideration of the duration of symptoms patients experienced, along with the lack of durable evidence favoring treatment with methotrexate, our institution favors proceeding directly to surgery in steroid-refractory cases
• We recommend the surgical options of:
  • Wide local excision for focal involvement and
  • Total mastectomy with the option of reconstruction for diffuse involvement
  • A 15% to 20% recurrence rate has been reported for surgery alone:
    • And inversely proportional to negative surgical margins
  • In light of the fact that these masses are painful and may lead to fistula formation and deformity:
    • Intervention may be the preferred path to avoid progression or static disease
    • Our experience allowed for a trial of “conservative” medical management for two months:
      • Followed by treatment escalation for lack of progress
• A course of methotrexate may be entertained in patients who desire continued attempts at medical management, to help preserve breast tissue
  • However, it is not included in the first line of conservative management

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• DCIS is a proliferation of malignant cells that have not breached the ductal basement membrane:
  • They arise from ductal epithelium:
    • In the region of the terminal ductal–lobular unit (TDLU)
• DCIS had previously been considered one stage in the continuum of histologic progression from ADH to invasive carcinoma:
  • But, in fact, DCIS comprises a heterogeneous group of lesions:
    • With variable histologic architecture, molecular and cellular characteristics, and clinical behavior
• Malignant cells proliferate:
  • Until the ductal lumen is obliterated
  • There is an associated breakdown of the myoepithelial cell layer of the basement membrane surrounding the ductal lumen
• DCIS has also been linked with changes in the surrounding stroma resulting in:
  • Fibroblast proliferation
  • Lymphocyte infiltration
  • Angiogenesis
• Thus, although the process is poorly understood:
  • Most but not all invasive ductal carcinomas are believed to arise from DCIS:
    • Which is considered a nonobligate precursor of invasive breast carcinoma

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• DCIS is generally classified as one of five subtypes:
  • Based on differences in the architectural pattern of the cancer cells and nuclear features:
    • Comedo
    • Solid
    • Cribriform
    • Micropapillary
    • Papillary
  • Cribriform, comedo, and micropapillary:
    • Are the most common subtypes:
      • Although two or more patterns coexist:
        • In up to 50% of cases
• The classification of noninvasive breast cancer:
  • Stratifies lesions based on their:
    • Likelihood of recurrence and incorporates prognostic factors
• Lagios et al. (1989):
  • Identified high nuclear grade and comedonecrosis:
    • As factors predictive of local recurrence
  • Patients whose tumors had a high nuclear grade and comedonecrosis:
    • Had a 19% local recurrence rate after lumpectomy alone at an average interval of 26 months:
      • Compared with 5% for those patients:
        • Whose tumors did not have necrosis and were a lower nuclear grade
• Silverstein et al. (1995):
  • Developed the Van Nuys algorithm:
    • To stratify patients into three risk groups using three established predictors of local recurrence:
      • Tumor size
      • Margin width
      • Pathologic classification:
        • The presence or absence of comedonecrosis and / or high tumor grade
    • Now updated to include:
      • Age
• The University of Southern California / Van Nuys Prognostic Index Scoring System:
  • Can be used to determine which patients with DCIS are at greatest risk for recurrence:
    • And would therefore benefit from particular forms of locoregional therapy
  • With the goal being a local recurrence rate:
    • Of less than 20% at 12 years
  • Surgical excision alone:
    • Is recommended for a patient with a:
      • Score of 4 to 6
      • Score of 7:
        • But have margins ≥ 3 mm
  • Excision plus radiation therapy:
    • Is recommended for patients with a:
      • Score of 7 and margins < 3 mm
      • Score of 8 and margins ≥ 3 mm
      • Score of 9 and margins ≥ 5 mm
  • Mastectomy:
    • Is recommended for a:
      • Score of 8 and margins < 3 mm
      • Score of 9 and margins < 5 mm
      • Score of 10 to 12
  • The USC/VNPI score may be a useful adjunct in therapeutic decision making:
    • But multiple attempts at independently validating the utility of this risk stratification scheme have not been consistent
• Currently, there is no universally accepted classification system for DCIS

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• Cancers derived from thyroid follicular cells are classified into five main types:
  • Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC:
    • Representing 65% to 93% of all thyroid cancers worldwide
  • Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC):
    • 6% to 10% of cases
  • Oncocytic thyroid carcinoma (OC):
    • 3% to 7% of cases
  • Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC):
    • 0.5% to 2%
  • Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC)
    • 1% of cases
• PTC, FTC and OC:
  • Are generically termed differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTCs):
    • Most patients present with localized disease and have a 5-year survival rates of greater than 98% by contrast to PDTC, which has a 5-year survival rate of 76%
• The 2022 WHO classification of thyroid tumors:
  • Introduced a new intermediate clinical entity:
    • Differentiated high-grade thyroid carcinoma:
      • To define DTCs with a high mitotic rate and / or tumor necrosis:
        • As these have a 5-year survival rate comparable with that of PDTC
• ATC is an extremely aggressive form of the disease:
  • Until recently, patients with ATC had a dismal median overall survival of 4 months:
    • Although this has improved markedly since 2018 with the FDA approval of new oncoprotein-targeted treatments coupled to evidence that immunotherapies may confer additional benefit
• Thyroid parafollicular or C cells are a neuroendocrine lineage that gives rise to medullary thyroid cancers:
  • Which account for less than 5% of all thyroid cancers

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS):
  • Is a malignant intra-ductal proliferation of epithelial cells within the tubular-lobular system of the breast:
    • With no microscopic evidence of permeation across the basement membrane
• There appears to be a progression between:
  • Flat epithelial atypia, atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), and DCIS:
    • In which DCIS is final step prior to the development of invasive disease
• The clinical risk factors and molecular aberrations related with malignant transformation:
  • Are almost indistinguishable between DCIS and invasive cancer
• The concurrence of DCIS and invasive carcinoma within one lesion suggests that:
  • DCIS is a precursor lesion to invasive carcinoma
• Evidence of the ability of DCIS to progress is that:
  • 50% of all recurrences after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for DCIS, with or without adjuvant treatment, are invasive
• Data is sparse on the natural history of DCIS:
  • But some series have reported the outcomes for women many years after undergoing a surgical biopsy that was interpreted as benign that contained an unrecognized area of DCIS:
    • These data identified that approximately 20% to 53% of these women developed:
      • Ipsilateral invasive carcinoma
  • Sanders et al. reported on 28 women with unrecognized low-grade DCIS in the surgical biopsy specimen:
    • Of which 11 developed invasive carcinoma:
      • All of these cancers developed in the same breast and quadrant as the biopsy containing the DCIS
  • The vast majority of these invasive cancers developed within 10 years, but three were diagnosed after 20 years
  • Collins et al, in the Nurses’ Health Study, singled out 13 women who were found to have DCIS on reexamination of the surgical biopsies that were previously diagnosed as benign:
    • Ten of these women subsequently developed breast cancer
      • All were ipsilateral
      • Four were DCIS and six were invasive
      • The interval between the biopsy and the progression to invasive cancer was on average nine years
• Approximately one in eight women (12%) in the United States (US) will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime:
  • 20% to 25% of these newly diagnosed cases will be DCIS (Siegel 2015, CA Cancer J Clin)
• In 2020, an estimated 51, 400 cases of DCIS will be diagnosed in US
• Universal screening mammography:
  • Has resulted in a 10-fold increase in the incidence of DCIS since the mid-1980s:
    • But since 2003:
      • The incidence of DCIS has decreased in women age 50 years and older:
        • Conceivably secondary to decline in the use of hormone replacement therapy
      • While the incidence in women younger than 50 continues to increase:
        • Altekruse SF, Kosary CL, Krapcho M, et al.: SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2007. Bethesda, Md: National Cancer Institute, 2010. Also available online. Last accessed April 3, 2020
  • Roughly one in every 1,300 mammograms performed in US:
    • Will lead to a diagnosis of DCIS:
      • Representing 17% to 34% of all mammographically detected breast cancers
  • Before the institution of widespread screening mammography in the mid-1980s:
    • Most of the cases of DCIS were not identified until a palpable tumor developed:
      • But today:
        • 80% to 85% of DCIS cases are screen detected
• The incidence of DCIS in necropsy studies is higher than in the general population:
  • Proposing that not all DCIS lesions become clinically significant:
    • Supporting concerns that most of the increase in DCIS incidence is due to the detection of non-aggressive subtypes:
      • That are unlikely to progress to invasive cancer
• Most women with DCIS are diagnosed at a median age:
  • That ranges from 47 to 63 years:
    • Similar to that reported for patients with invasive carcinoma
  • However, the age of peak incidence for DCIS (96.7 per 100,000 women):
    • Occurs between the ages of 65 and 69 years:
      • Which is younger than that for invasive breast cancer:
        • For which peak incidence (453.1 per 100,000 women):
          • Occurs between the ages of 75 and 79 years
• The incidence of first-degree relatives having breast cancer (i.e., 10% to 35%) as well as deleterious mutations in the breast cancer associated (BRCA) genes:
  • Are similar for patients with DCIS as for women with invasive breast cancer
• Other risk factors for DCIS include:
  • Older age
  • Proliferative breast disease
  • Increased breast density
  • Nulliparity
  • Older age at first live birth
  • History of breast biopsy
  • Early menarche
  • Late menopause
  • Long-term use of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy
  • Elevated body mass index in postmenopausal women
    • Are the same as those for invasive breast cancer, but in many cases:
      • The relationship between a given characteristic and invasive cancer is stronger than the relationship between that characteristic and DCIS

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Surgical anatomy of the buccal region

• The buccal mucosa:
  • Is the mucosal lining of the inner surface of the cheek
  • The area extends from:
    • The oral commisure anteriorly to the retromolar trigone posteriorly:
      • The junction between the buccal mucosa and retromolar trigone:
        • Is an arbitrary line drawn from the maxillary tuberosity to the distobuccal aspect of the mandibular third molar (or its anticipated position if not present)
  • The inferior and superior boundaries of the area are delineated by:
    • The mandibular and maxillary gingivobuccal sulci, respectively
• The buccal mucosa is not exposed to masticatory loads:
  • So is covered by a lining mucosa with nonkeratinizing stratified squamous epithelium:
    • The mucosa is firmly attached to the underlying buccinator muscle
    • Minor salivary glands are located within the cheek (submucosa)
• The parotid duct:
  • Pierces the buccinator muscle to enter the oral cavity adjacent to the second maxillary molar tooth
• Sensory innervation to the area:
  • Is via the buccal branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve
• Lymphatic drainage of the site:
  • Is via the ipsilateral facial and submandibular nodes:
    • To the deep cervical chain
• The thickness of the cheek, from mucosal lining to external skin:
  • Is 1 cm to 3 cm
• Epidemiology
  • The buccal mucosa is the most common site for oral cancer:
    • In South East Asia:
      • Up to 40% of oral cancers arising at this site
    • This contrasts with North America and Western Europe:
      • Where buccal carcinoma only accounts for 2% to 10% of oral carcinomas
  • The consumption of betel quid:
    • Is socially and culturally embedded in the countries of South East Asia:
      • It is responsible for the difference in site predilection
    • The ingredients of betel quid (paan / paan masala) varies throughout South East Asia:
      • The main ingredients include:
        • The piper betel leaf
        • Slaked lime
        • Spices
        • Tobacco
        • Areca nut
    • For many years, the tobacco content alone was credited as being the carcinogenic agent in betel quid:
      • However it is now recognized that the areca nut is also carcinogenic:
        • As well as being the main etiological agent in:
          • Oral submucous fibrosis
      • Individuals who consume betel quid frequently have a preference regarding which side they chew betel:
        • This corresponding to the side of tumor development
      • There is a strong association with smoking and alcohol consumption:
        • In populations where betel chewing is not prevalent
• The male-to-female ratio:
  • In Western countries approximates 1:1:
    • However in South East Asia the ratio reflects the consumption of betel quid
  • In India, the male-to-female ratio:
    • Is approximately 4:1
  • In the Taiwanese population, where betel quid use occurs primarily in the male population:
    • The ratio may be as high as 27:1
• Buccal carcinoma typically occurs over the age of 40 years:
  • Although it may occur in younger patients:
    • Particularly when associated with the habit of betel chewing
• Presentation:
  • Buccal carcinoma may be described as:
    • Verrucous, exophytic or ulceroinfiltrative in character

• Presentation of buccal carcinoma of the oral cavity:
  • Patients may present with:
    • Pain
    • An intraoral mass
    • Ulceration
    • Trismus
  • Patients who chew betel often have areas of:
    • Erythroleukoplakia of the buccal mucosa or submucous fibrosis and consequent trismus:
      • Making the detection of invasive squamous cell carcinoma difficult
  • Advanced buccal carcinomas may extend into adjacent sites to include:
    • External skin, mandible or maxilla
  • It is not unusual for patients to present with advanced disease:
    • 40% or more presenting with stage III / IV disease
    • Palpable lymphadenopathy on presentation:
      • May be as high as 57% for T3 / T4 lesions
    • Occult nodal metastasis:
      • May be present in 26% of those who are clinically N0 at presentation:
        • Tumors greater than T2, are poorly differentiated, have a poor lymphocytic response or are thicker than 5 mm:
          • Are more likely to demonstrate cervical metastasis
      • Tumors are usually well differentiated
• Work up:
  • Biopsies of buccal carcinomas should be of sufficient depth to help the pathologist give an indication of depth of invasion:
    • Since this will help decide on management of the neck
  • Buccal carcinoma may rapidly extend to adjacent sites:
    • Thus accurate imaging is required:
      • Most patients will require MRI / CT imaging:
        • Augmented with ultrasound scan if necessary to help in the assessment of depth of primary and cervical lymphadenopathy
• Treatment
  • Primary site:
    • Traditional treatment of buccal carcinoma is:
      • Surgery with postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) for selected patients
    • T1 / T2 disease:
      • Can typically be resected perorally
    • T3 / T4 disease:
      • May require facial access incisions and bony resection of the maxilla and / or mandible
    • The primary tumor should be resected with:
      • A 1 cm margin and up to 2 cm if skin is involved
      • The buccinator muscle:
        • Should be included as the deep margin at the very least
      • The parotid duct:
        • May need to be repositioned or ligated
      • External skin should be taken with the specimen:
        • If there is any evidence clinically or on imaging that it is involved
      • Partial maxillectomy or mandibular resection (rim (marginal) or segmental) may be required.
    • Small T1 tumors:
      • May be resected and reconstructed by primary closure
      • Healing by secondary intention may be considered:
        • However postoperative trismus may be anticipated:
          • Unless vigorous mouth opening exercises are conducted
      • Split thickness skin grafts may be used:
        • The use of silicone sheets to stabilize the graft being useful
        • The use of a skin graft to reconstruct deeper resections:
          • May leave a very thin cheek with potentially poor aesthetics
      • Local flaps such as:
        • The buccal fat pad or temporoparietal fascial flap:
          • May be used for reconstruction if tumor extension does not compromise their use
      • Microvascular free flap reconstruction with a radial free forearm flap or anterolateral thigh flap:
        • Restores the thickness of the cheek and if external skin is involved:
          • The flaps can be bipaddled to provide reconstruction of mucosal and skin surfaces
    • T4 tumors requiring segmental resection of the mandible:
      • May require composite free flap reconstruction
    • Reconstruction with a radial free forearm flap:
      • Has been shown to give better postoperative mouth opening than reconstruction with a split skin graft or buccal fat pad

• Radiotherapy:
  • As a single treatment modality for T1 / T2 tumors has been advocated:
    • However, a change of practice from radiotherapy to surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center was associated with improved prognosis
  • Brachytherapy or external beam irradiation may be considered
• Management of the Neck:
  • Regional spread of disease in buccal carcinoma is usually to:
    • The ipsilateral level I and II lymph nodes
  • Patients with palpable lymphadenopathy or pathological nodes on imaging:
    • Should have a comprehensive neck dissection:
      • Although if pathological nodes are only located in level I, a level I to III selective neck dissection (SND) may be considered
    • Nodes in the region of the facial artery as it crosses the mandible:
      • Should be removed with the neck dissection specimen
  • Patients with a cN0 neck:
    • With a T2 or greater primary tumors or tumors with a thickness greater than 5 mm:
      • Should have an elective neck dissection:
        • Some institutions will conduct an elective neck dissection (END) if the tumor is 3 to 4 mm thick or if histological examination of the tumor demonstrates lymphatic infiltration
• PORT:
  • The indications for postoperative radiotherapy to the loco-regional area are similar to other sites:
    • Notably two or more nodes in the neck, extracapsular spread (ECS), positive margins or stage III / IV disease
  • The beneficial role of PORT in selected patients with buccal carcinoma has been demonstrated by several authors:
    • Some authors suggest that PORT should be considered even in stage I and II disease, or tumors greater than 10 mm thick
• Recurrence:
  • Recurrence rates for buccal carcinoma are 26% to 80%:
    • Usually occurring within two years
  • Involvement of the parotid duct and buccinator muscle:
    • Have not been found to be significant indicators of recurrence
  • Factors that influence recurrence include:
    • Tumor thickness and tumor differentiation

• Outcomes and prognosis in ILC are generally favorable:
  • Consistent with the luminal A phenotype
• The majority of evidence supporting similar or better survival as IDC:
  • These include a large SEER study of 263,408 women (27,639 with ILC and 235,769 with IDC) treated between 1993 and 2003:
    • A stage-matched analysis showed that ILC was more likely to be:
      • Greater than 2 cm
      • Lymph node positive
      • ER positive
    • The 5-year disease-free survival was significantly better for ILC than for IDC after matching for stage:
      • With an overall 14% survival benefit (HR 0.86) identified on multivariable analysis
    • As such, although overall stage-corrected prognosis appears to be favorable, some propose that this may be offset by a higher stage at presentation and higher rates
      of late metastatic recurrences, often occurring in atypical sites
  • The pleomorphic subtype of ILC is:
    • Also a known exception to the generally favorable prognosis, having been shown in retrospective series to more frequently develop metastatic disease than other nonpleomorphic ILCs
• Currently, there are no unique specifications for surveillance of ILC:
  • For all treated nonmetastatic breast cancers, NCCN guidelines recommend a history and physical examination one to four times per year as clinically appropriate for 5 years and then annually
  • Annual mammography should be performed for patients treated with BCT
  • The role of MRI in surveillance is unclear and presently recommended only for those with a lifetime risk greater than 20% of developing a second primary breast cancer
• Adherence to hormonal therapy should be encouraged for those prescribed and yearly gynecologic assessment arranged for those without a previous hysterectomy
• Signs of disease recurrence, either locoregional or systemic, should prompt evaluation with appropriate laboratory work and diagnostic imaging, which may include diagnostic
  CT or fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT scans followed by biopsy to prove first recurrence of disease
• It should be noted that the generally low-grade nature of ILC may limit the sensitivity of traditional PET/CT scans, and studies are ongoing for the use of alternative radiotracers using ER ligands for
  increased sensitivity
• Confirmed LRRs (those of the breast / chest wall and / or regional lymph nodes alone):
  • Can be managed with complete surgical resection and systemic therapy
• Distant metastatic disease (stage IV) is managed with individualized systemic therapy

• Considerations for radiation therapy (RT) in locoregional control, once more generally common among the ductal and lobular cancer types, are summarized here (Figure)
• Adjuvant whole breast RT:
  • Reduces the risk of both local regional recurrence (LRR) and death from breast cancer after BCS and is a necessary element of BCT
• Additional regional nodal irradiation:
  • May also be indicated for those with involved lymph nodes or high-risk tumors
• It is noteworthy that it may be acceptable to omit RT:
  • Among elderly women with select low-risk, ER-positive tumors:
    • Data to support this include the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALBG) 9343 randomized trial of women age 70 years or older with stage I ER-positive cancers treated with lumpectomy and tamoxifen with or without RT:
      • Which demonstrated no advantage in
        overall survival:
        • Although there was a small improvement in LRR among those treated with RT
• Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI):
  • Is a newer technique involving more focused RT
    delivered in higher doses over a shorter time span
  • Notably, the recent American Society for
    Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) guideline update cites lobular histology as a criterion for “cautionary” use of APBI outside of a clinical trial
• Postmastectomy RT:
  • May also benefit selected patients, a decision generally made by consideration of the presence of:
    • Macrometastatic nodal involvement
    • Large tumor size
    • High-risk disease features
  • It is important to note that the implications of margins at mastectomy remain controversial among radiation oncologists, and there are no data to support a definite benefit of postmastectomy RT in patients with close margins
  • Similar to surgical and systemic therapy trials, ILC patients comprise a minority in postmastectomy RT trials
  • A recent study using Survival, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data including 12,703 ILC patients treated from 2004 to 2009, of which 26% had a definite indication for postmastectomy RT:
    • Found an improvement in 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival from 80.9% to 84.7% (p = .0003) among ILC patients, a benefit to the same degree as IDC:
      • These data support continued decision
        making for radiotherapy using existing criteria, regardless of cancer histology