The evolution in management of patients with subcentimeter, node-negative, triple-negative breast cancer

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine the evolution in treatment recommendations and outcomes for patients with subcentimeter, node-negative, triple-negative disease.MethodsPatients were divided into a remote (diagnosed from 1997 to 2003) and a recent (diagnosed from 2004 to 2011) group. Demographics, tumor size, surgical treatment, use of adjuvant chemotherapy, survival, and disease recurrence were evaluated.ResultsThirty patients were placed in the remote group and 31 in the recent group. Demographics, tumor sizes, and surgical treatment were similar between groups. The use of adjuvant chemotherapy increased from 7% to 42% in the recent group (P < .002). Disease-free survival and recurrence (7%) was not influenced by the use of chemotherapy.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that adjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly used in patients with the triple-negative phenotype, regardless of other favorable prognostic variables. The value of adjuvant chemotherapy for the subgroup of patients in our study is unclear and mandates further investigation.