Factors Affecting Concordance between Radiological and Histological Findings in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma - Experience from a National Cancer Centre.

BACKGROUND

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is characterized by an infiltrative discohesive growth pattern, making it difficult to accurately assess both clinically and by imaging studies. Despite favourable biological characteristics, challenges remain in the surgical treatment of ILC. We aimed to evaluate radiology/histology concordance and identify histological and biological parameters on core biopsies that may predict final tumour histology and guide surgical treatment decisions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The radiology and histology reports for all newly diagnosed cases of ILC were analysed. The biopsy and resection histological slides for all the surgical cases were reviewed.

RESULTS

75 new cases of ILC were diagnosed over a 2-year period. 48 patients underwent surgery of whom 25% had 2 or more operations. There was discordance between radiological and histological tumour focality and tumour size in 35 and 40%, respectively. The correlation between radiology/histology discordance and E-cadherin expression was statistically significant. However, the correlation between radiology/histology discordance and menopausal status, breast density, pattern of invasion, presence of lobular intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN), hormonal status, and Ki67 were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Histological and biological factors in ILC, with the exception of E-cadherin expression, do not seem to play a significant role in radiology/histology discordance. However, larger studies are needed to further corroborate these findings.