Phylloides tumours of the breast. A clinicopathologic study of 19 cases.

During a period of 29 years (1960-1989), 19 patients with benign (15 cases) or malignant (4 cases) phylloides tumours were seen at the Surgical Clinic of Fundeni Hospital. Fourteen patients were followed up for a period of 2 to 21 years (mean 9.3 years). Two patients with benign tumours developed malignant recurrences. The malignant potential could not be predicted by histologic criteria. Although 4 patients had malignant tumours and other 2 developed malignant recurrences later, no distant metastases and no death in the 14 patients available for follow up were observed. We believe that in large or malignant tumours simple mastectomy is the surgical treatment of choice, in most benign phylloides tumours a conservative approach (quadrantectomy or lumpectomy) may be considered of the patients can be adaquately followed up.