OBJECTIVETo study the prognostic parameters in patients with breast cancer of size smaller than or equal to 2 cm which are useful for treatment and follow-up.

METHODSFour hundred and seventy-five patients with breast cancer of size smaller than or equal to 2 cm diagnosed and treated in Affiliated Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, China during the period from January, 2002 to December, 2008 were enrolled into the study. The clinical features, pathologic findings and follow-up data were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier curve method and Cox proportional hazard regression model were used to study factors which influenced disease-free survival and overall survival of the patients.

RESULTSOnset below 40 years of age (P=0.000), presence of axillary lymph node metastasis (P=0.000) and histologic grade 3 (P=0.013) negatively correlated with 5-year disease-free survival. Onset below 40 years of age (P=0.000), presence of axillary lymph node metastasis (P=0.000), histologic grade 3 (P=0.012) and negative estrogen receptor status (P=0.035) negatively correlated with 5-year overall survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that onset below 40 years of age (HR=3.249, 95% CI: 1.514-6.974, P=0.002) and presence of axillary lymph node metastasis (HR=3.177, 95% CI: 1.695-5.953, P=0.000) were independent predictors of 5-year disease-free survival. Onset below 40 years of age (HR=5.006, 95% CI: 2.013-12.449, P=0.001), presence of axillary lymph node metastasis (HR=4.461, 95% CI: 1.948-10.218, P=0.000) and negative estrogen receptor status (HR=2.612, 95% CI: 1.092-6.246, P=0.031) were independent predictors of 5-year overall survival.

CONCLUSIONSOnset below 40 years of age, presence of axillary lymph node metastasis and negative estrogen receptor status are prognostic indicators in patients with breast cancer of size less than or equal to 2 cm. Assessment of these prognostic parameters would be helpful in treatment and follow-up of this group of breast cancer patients.