Pathology

[many]

The pathology report of my wife who is in remission and stage 3 since last 4 years shows --SECTIONS OF NIPPLE SHOWS LYMHOVASCULAR EMBOLI. What does this mean?

[roxboxfox RadiationOncologist]

It means that the cancer cells have already begun the process of locoregional spread by permeating the small lymphatic and vascular channels around the site of origin of the cancer, and perhaps are heading towards spread to the axillary lymph nodes. You mentioned stage 3. This means that a couple of axillary lymph nodes were eventually involved.

The term Lymphovascular emboli is a slight negative prognostic marker which oncologists take into account at assessing the risk of relapse and thereby make a rationale recommendation FOR chemotherapy so as to offset that extra risk and eradicate the possible micrometastatic disease which may come up in later years.

Your wife is doing very well @ 4 years, suggest continue with your annual follow up checks with your oncologist.

Dont worry !

All will remain Well !

Regards and best wishes

Dr Rohit Malde

[many in reply to roxboxfox]

Sir Has this presence of LYMHOVASCULAR emboli got to do anything with IBC ?

[sumeet_shah Administrator]

Why was a biopsy done from the nipple while on follow up? Was there some swelling or was there any discharge or any excoriation around the nipple? Could you give us a more clear picture to understand it better and then we can surely guide you.

[many]

It is not done now ,it was mentioned in pathology reprt of mastectomy done in 2011.i just wanted to know if this term --lymphovascvular emboli -has anything to do with IBC ( inflammatory breast cancer )

[sumeet_shah Administrator]

Ok. LVE (lympho vascular emboli) is a feature that the pathologist has to see in every specimen. It tells us whether the tumour was in the process of spreading to the nodes. It mainly helps us in deciding the additional treatment to be given, in the form of chemotherapy. Rest, roxboxfox has already answere very well above. Don't worry about it.

[many]

.i just wanted to know if this term --lymphovascvular emboli -has anything to do with IBC ( inflammatory breast cancer

[many]

Sir. The mention in pathology report --Sections of nipple shows lymphovascular emboli ---does this mean that she had IBC (inflammatory breast cancer )??

[many]

Plz guide immediately

[many]

.i just wanted to know if this term --lymphovascvular emboli -has anything to do with IBC ( inflammatory breast cancer

[roxboxfox RadiationOncologist]

The Answer is " NO "

A mention of Lymphovascular Emboli does not mean Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)

Hope this puts an end to your worry.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer is a rather rare and agressive form of Breast cancer, which has a high tendency of loco-regional spread + Distant spread. IBC is usually a clinical diagnosis where a patient presents with redness, swelling and pitting / ridging of the skin of breast like an orange peel. A patient may feel warmth and this is a bit painful and distressing to see it growing rapidly over a few days to weeks. This clinical picture looks akin to an inflammatory or infections process, and may baffle a doctor at times into giving antibiotics and pain killers, which may at times lead to a slight delay in diagnosis. The diagnosis at times is a bit difficult especially if there is no underlying mass felt. IBC usually presented in a locally advanced state and in the TNM classification it finds itself the suffix T4d.

Now try and correlate this IBC to what your wife had 4 years back, it was probably nothing close to what i ve described and hopefully this should put an end to your worries.

If you still have concerns and worries, the best thing would be to ask your wifes oncologist, whether indeed was this an I B C at initial diagnosis ?

Over & Out

DR Rohit Malde

[sumeet_shah Administrator]

I agree fully with roxboxfox. IBC is actually a rare situation and we do not see it that often. It is common to find LVE in both, the breast tissue and in the Nipple Areola Complex and by no means do they mean, there is IBC.

[many]

Thank you sir