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Phyllodes Breast Cancer - A Rare and Obscure Form of Breast Cancer

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Phyllodes breast cancer is a rare form of the disease

When breast cancer is diagnosed, in most cases the kind of cancer found will come from among a small number of common subtypes. There are several varieties of the disease, however, that do not occur with anywhere near the same frequency. Phyllodes breast cancer, which is found in less than 1% of all women who are diagnosed with the disease, is undoubtedly one of the most obscure and unknown of all the relatively rare types.

Characteristics of Phyllodes Tumors
Phyllodes breast cancer has a number of characteristics that set it apart from other varieties of the disease. Tumors of this type are called sarcomas, based on the fact that phyllodes is the only kind of breast cancer that forms in the connective tissue of the breast instead of the ducts and the lobes. The name 'phyllodes' comes from the Greek word for leaf, which describes the unique shape that this type of tumor forms as it grows. When explored by touch, phyllodes tumors feel firm, smooth on the sides, and bumpy over the top, distinguishing them from most kinds of breast cancers, which tend to be more uneven in their texture. This fast-growing type of tumor, which can increase noticeably in size in as little as two weeks, is one of the largest types of breast cancer tumors in general – five centimeters is the average size for a phyllodes tumor, and in a few cases phyllodes breast cancers have been known to grow as large as 30 centimeters. This type of cancerous tumor is also unique because of the speed at which it is capable of growing, as phyllodes formations can expand significantly is size in as little as two weeks. Unlike most types of breast cancer, phyllodes tumors are not found primarily in postmenopausal women or women past the age of 50 - most of those who are diagnosed have not yet started menopause, and this is one of the truly rare breast cancers that can even occasionally develop in adolescent girls.

Phyllodes tumors are also different because they are not evaluated in stages like other varieties of the disease. These tumors are simply classified as either benign or malignant, based on speed of cell division and growth and the number of abnormally shaped cells present at the time of examination. It is understood that all phyllodes tumors can eventually turn malignant, however, which is why even those tumors judged benign will be treated as if they were cancerous.

Problems in Diagnosis and Treatment
There is a type of benign breast tumor comprised of glandular and fibrous tissue called fibroadenomas. This type of breast malformation bears a striking resemblance to a phyllodes tumor, which makes it impossible for either mammograms or ultrasound to effectively diagnose this type of cancer. Even a needle biopsy is not adequate, because the cells of benign phyllodes formations, cancerous ones, and fibroadenomas are so similar in appearance that it takes a larger sampling of cells to determine if cancer is present or not. A surgical biopsy, which involves the slicing off of a piece of breast tissue (under anesthesia, of course) for analysis, is the only way to diagnose a malignant phyllodes tumor – unfortunately, this type of procedure will leave a small scar at the point of incision.

If the tumor is malignant, it will be necessary to perform a mastectomy or lumpectomy, depending on the size of the tumor and whether or not it has begun to metastasize. One unfortunate complication with this type of cancer is that it is resistant to radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy, eliminating these types of standard breast cancer treatments as viable options. Phyllodes cells are quite resilient, which is why they can cause new tumors to recur many months or even years after the original tumor was diagnosed and surgically removed. Both benign and malignant phyllodes tumors can recur; but the return of the malignant kind is a big concern, because recurrent phyllodes malignancies tend to be more aggressive and dangerous than the original cancer. For those who get this type of cancer past the age of 45, the chances of recurrence are less than for younger women.

Overall, about 30% of all women who are diagnosed with phyllodes breast cancer will ultimately lose their fight for survival against this disease. This percentage is disturbingly high, but the good news is that 85-90% of all phyllodes tumors turn out to be of the benign variety.

The Importance of Physical Exams
Phyllodes breast cancer is a most unusual type of cancer, and it can be difficult to diagnose and complicated to treat because it “breaks the rules” that medical authorities usually rely on when they are dealing with malignant tumors of the breast. While screening mammograms are still the best method for detecting most suspicious formations in the breasts of women, clinical examinations are also important because in some instances – such as when phyllodes tumors are present - mammograms may not be able to find something that needs to be found as quickly as possible.

Related Articles: 
Breast Cancer Pathophysiology
Breast Cancer Test Results: Tumor Cell Grade
The Different Types of Breast Cancer
Understanding Your Breast Cancer Pathology Report

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