Background and objective: To identify subgroups with good progress over an extended period, we used diagnostic screening, tumour palpability, tumour phenotype, and node involvement.
Patients and methods: We identified patients with good progress by means of a descriptive, observational and retrospective study.
Results: Of 746 patients diagnosed with node-negative breast cancer between 2001 and 2015: 110 (14.75%) had non-palpable screening-diagnosed tumours; 88 (80%) were endocrine-sensitive, 10 (9.10%) were triple-negative and 11 (10%) were HER2. Only 3 patients developed metastases, and there were 4 deaths: 2 from breast cancer and 2 from other causes. The distant recurrence-free interval (DRFI) was 95.60%: 100% in 34 endocrine-sensitive histological grade 1 (equivalent to luminal A) tumours, and 94.40% (95% CI 86.76-102.04) in 54 grade 2-3 (luminal B) tumours. In triple-negative and HER2 cases, it was 100%. In tumours <1 cm it was 100%, and >1 cm it was 95.50% (95% CI 79.42-100.98).
Conclusions: Patients with non-palpable tumours detected by mammogram screening have ultralow risk. The good progress in the luminal A, triple-negative, HER2, and less than 1 cm subgroups may explain the efficacy of the treatment but it also makes them candidates to de-escalation of their treatment.
Keywords: Breast cancer; Cribado mamográfico; Cáncer de mama; Enfermedad indolente; Indolent disease; Riesgo muy bajo; Screening mammography; Supervivencia; Survival; Ultralow threshold.
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