Characteristics and Survival of Multifocal/multicentric Breast Cancer: a Retrospective Study of 415 Cases

Abstract Objectives: This study was to compare the clinicopathological and prognostic characteristics of multifocal/multicentric (MF/MC) with unifocal (UF) breast cancer to study the determinants of cancer multiplicity in survival. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 83 MF/MC and 332 UF breast cancer patients was conducted. Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic indicators were compared. Results: MF/MC breast cancer were more likely to have lymph node metastasis and lymph vascular/perineural invasion. There was a statistically significant difference in the LRFS rate. Cancer multiplicity was not an independent prognostic factor. Conclusion: MF/MC breast cancer are more aggressive. However, cancer multiplicity did not affect prognosis.