Small size T4 breast cancer. Natural history and prognosis.

The clinical records of 66 patients with T4 (for skin infiltration or ulceration) breast cancer not larger than 5 cm treated with primary radiotherapy at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan from 1968 through 1977 were reviewed. The tumor measured no more than 3 cm in 19 patients and 3-5 cm in 47 patients. In the first group axillary involvement was lower (32% vs 55%) and mean age was older (68 years vs 58). Thirty-four patients were irradiated with orthovoltage and 32 with cobalt, at full doses. In 22 of 66 patients (33.3%) a Halsted radical mastectomy was carried out after completion of radiotherapy. No medical treatment was planned. The incidence of locoregional and distant metastases was the same in both groups of patients, but that of patients with smaller T4 (up to 3 cm) demonstrated a better prognosis in terms of absolute survival at 5 years (71.3% vs 34.7%). T4 breast cancer of 3-5 cm had very poor results quite similar to those of historical large series of T4 carcinomas of any size; therefore they should be treated by the same aggressive combined modality approach adopted for locally advanced breast cancer. On the contrary, small T4, up to 3 cm, in older women could be treated by tumorectomy followed by radiotherapy at full doses; systemic medical therapy (hormonal manipulation or chemotherapy) should be decided according to endocrine receptor investigation and general conditions.