Clinicopathologic study of phyllodes tumor of the breast.

The clinical and pathologic features of 34 phyllodes tumors in 33 women were analyzed. These included 20 benign tumors, 7 borderline malignant tumors and 7 malignant tumors. The median age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 38 years. Patients with malignant tumors were older and had larger tumors. The tumor size varied from 1.6 cm to 40 cm. Local recurrence was evident in 4 of 21 patients who were followed-up, irrespective of their tumor type (one benign, two borderline malignant and one malignant). The recurrence rate was higher in younger patients. No single pathologic feature was found to have prognostic significance. Distant or regional lymph node metastasis and mortality due to the disease were not identified. Based on these results, wide excision with an adequate margin continues to be the appropriate initial surgical treatment.