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*Overview | *Overview | ||
**A category of breast carcinomas defined by gene expression profiling | |||
**Somewhere between 15-30% of breast carcinomas. | **Somewhere between 15-30% of breast carcinomas. | ||
**Can be identified by immunohistochemistry - basal markers (CK14, p63, calponin, SMA) | **Can be identified by immunohistochemistry - basal markers (CK14, p63, calponin, SMA) | ||
**Not derived from myoepithelial cells, merely express a phenotype more in keeping with basal cells than ductal cells | **Not derived from myoepithelial cells, merely express a phenotype more in keeping with basal cells than ductal cells | ||
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**Basal-like breast cancer is a heterogeneous group. | **Basal-like breast cancer is a heterogeneous group. | ||
**The behaviour of basal-like breast cancer appears to fall into two groups: | **The behaviour of basal-like breast cancer appears to fall into two groups: | ||
***The tumours that do not metastasise have a better prognosis than other types of breast carcinoma. | ***The tumours that are by nature low grade (ie adenoid cystic carcinoma) and/or do not metastasise have a better prognosis than other types of breast carcinoma. | ||
*** | ***The tumours with early metastasis that may behave more aggressively | ||
****Hematogenous spread -greater tendency to metastasise to visceral sites | ****Hematogenous spread -greater tendency to metastasise to visceral sites (notably lung and brain) instead of to nodes and bone. | ||
**Many have a complete response to chemotherapy and survival rates similar to typical breast cancer | **Many have a complete response to chemotherapy and survival rates similar to typical breast cancer | ||
**Non-complete response to chemotherapy is associated with low survival at 5 years. | **Non-complete response to chemotherapy is associated with low survival at 5 years. |
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