Natural History of Invasive Papillary Breast Carcinoma Followed for 10 Years: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract EN

Diachronic research on untreated breast cancer completely depends on past medical records when no more recent, advanced methods are available.

Herein, we report a case of invasive papillary breast carcinoma followed for 10 years in a 59-year-old woman who refused any treatment.

The diagnosis was based on core needle biopsies.

At the patient’s first visit in July 2006, the tumor measured 10.4 × 7.2 × 3.5 cm.

It was staged as IIIB (T4bN1).

In May 2016, the tumor was staged as IIIC (T4bN3a).

In the past 10 years, the tumor has increased to 12.1 × 9.0 × 4.2 cm.

However, a whole-body bone scan and 18F-FDG PET/CT showed no evidence of distant metastasis.

Immunohistochemistry results, corresponding to biopsies taken at subsequent examinations, have remained unaltered since 2006.

The tumor was estrogen/progesterone receptor-positive and C-erbB2 expression was not detected.

The Ki-67 labeling index was around 10%.