Postoperative surgical margin results of the phyllodes tumors from a tertiary hospital.

OBJECTIVE

Phyllodes tumors in the breast are exceptionally uncommon fibroepithelial tumors. In the literature, they are typically categorized as benign phyllodes tumor, borderline phyllodes tumor, and malignant phyllodes tumor. This study aims to assess and present the clinical and surgical outcomes of patients diagnosed with phyllodes tumor.

METHODS

The outcomes of patients aged 18 years and above diagnosed with phyllodes tumor between 2006 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were grouped as benign phyllodes tumor and borderline/malignant phyllodes tumor and compared by clinical and surgical results.

RESULTS

Of all 57 patients with phyllodes tumor, 64.9% (n=37) were benign phyllodes tumor and 35.1% (n=20) were borderline/malignant phyllodes tumor [22.8% (n=13) borderline phyllodes tumor and 12.3% (n=7) malignant phyllodes tumor]. When the patients were divided into two groups as benign phyllodes tumor and borderline/malignant phyllodes tumor and compared, our cumulative (total) recurrence rate was 14.0%, with final surgical margin width between groups [(0<final surgical margin<2 mm vs final surgical margin≥2 mm) (p=0.154)] and recurrence [(8.1% benign phyllodes tumor vs 25.0% borderline/malignant phyllodes tumor) (p=0.080)]; there was no significant difference between our rates.

CONCLUSION

Phyllodes tumors of the breast can be followed up with a narrow negative surgical margin (0 mm<final surgical margin<2 mm). However, after the initial surgery, re-excision is recommended for positive margins, while a wider surgical margin (≥10 mm) is not necessary for excision.