Breast cancer followed by corpus cancer: is there a higher risk for aggressive histologic subtypes?

Gynecol Oncol. 2006 Sep;102(3):508-12. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2006.01.014. Epub 2006 Feb 17.

Abstract

Objective: To analyze corpus cancer patients with a breast cancer history for risk of developing aggressive uterine histologic types.

Methods: Corpus cancer patients with a history of breast cancer were identified from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database from 1988 to 2001. Demographics, clinico-pathologic, and survival data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and logistic regression analyses.

Results: Of 52,109 women diagnosed with corpus cancer, 1922 had a history of breast cancer. Women with a history of breast cancer had a significantly higher proportion of uterine papillary serous carcinomas (UPSC) and sarcomas compared to those without a breast cancer history (9.4% vs. 6.3% for UPSC and 10.3% vs. 8.4% for sarcoma; P < 0.001). Patients with endometrioid or sarcoma of the uterus after breast cancer had significantly worse 5-year survivals than patients without a breast cancer history (84.4% vs. 90.5%; P < 0.001 and 49.0% vs. 63.6%, P < 0.001, respectively). Older age, advanced stage, lack of surgery and radiation treatment, poor histologic types, and history of breast cancer were independent prognostic factors for poorer survival.

Conclusion: In this study, the proportional incidence of UPSC and sarcoma was significantly higher in women with a breast cancer history. These findings highlight the association of breast cancer and high-risk corpus cancer subtypes.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / secondary*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors
  • Sarcoma / pathology
  • Sarcoma / secondary*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Uterine Neoplasms / pathology
  • Uterine Neoplasms / secondary*