Endocrine organ metastases in subjects with lobular carcinoma of the breast
H. L. Bumpers, J. M. Hassett Jr, R. B. Penetrante, E. L. Hoover and E. D. Holyoke
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo.
OBJECTIVE: To define the frequency and pattern of endocrine organ
metastases in patients dying of invasive lobular carcinoma. DESIGN:
Postmortem microscopic evaluation of the ovaries and adrenal, pituitary,
thyroid, and parathyroid glands for breast cancer metastases. SETTING:
Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, between 1971 and 1990.
SUBJECTS: One hundred eighteen subjects who died of their cancer: 86 had
infiltrating ductal carcinoma; 32, invasive lobular carcinoma. MEAN OUTCOME
MEASURE: Quantitative measurements to allow frequency determinations and
statistical comparisons. RESULTS: Endocrine organ metastases were found in
91% of the subjects with invasive lobular carcinoma vs 58% of subjects with
infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The adrenal gland was most frequently
involved. Multiple endocrine metastases were most common in the group with
invasive lobular carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: A relationship exists between
invasive lobular carcinoma and endocrine metastases. This indicates that
antemortem endocrine evaluation may subsequently improve quality-of-life
treatment.
