Table 1.
Patient and tumor characteristics
| Characteristic | |
|---|---|
| Mean age (range) | 50 (33–79) |
| N (%) | |
| Clinical T category before NAC | |
| 1 | 0 (0) |
| 2 | 7 (39) |
| 3 | 9 (50) |
| 4 | 2 (11) |
| Clinical N category before NAC | |
| 0 | 11 (61)a |
| 1 | 3 (17) |
| 2 | 2 (11) |
| 3 | 2 (11) |
| Grade | |
| 1 | 0 (0) |
| 2 | 1 (5.5) |
| 3 | 15 (83) |
| Not available | 2 (11)b |
| Histologic features (biopsy) | |
| Matrix producing | 5 (28) |
| Spindle cell | 6 (33) |
| Squamous cell | 4 (22) |
| Chondroid | 2 (11) |
| Sarcomatoid | 1 (5.5) |
| Type of breast surgery | |
| Breast conserving surgery | 1 (5.5) |
| Mastectomy | 16 (90) |
| Nonec | 1 (5.5) |
| Type of axillary surgery | |
| Sentinel lymph node biopsy | 7 (39) |
| Sentinel lymph node biopsy and axillary lymph node dissection | 1 (5.5) |
| Axillary lymph node dissection | 8 (44) |
| None | 2 (11) |
NAC neoadjuvant chemotherapy
a
One patient developed nodal disease while on NAC
b
Tumor size was too small to grade
c
Patient progressed prior to surgical management