Is Phyllodes Tumour a cancer?

[kartsoi2000]

Do anyone know whether phyllodes tumour be considered as a cancer or not?  Many thanks for your kind assistance in advance.

[kartsoi2000]

Dear Fernando,
Many thanks for your reply.  I do have the pathologist's report.  It indicated that it is a 6 cm tumour and it is diagnosed as borderline malignancy.  Isn't that enough.  The first operation to take out the tumour was done in public hospital.  I am not sure whether the hospital can provide the certification that you mentioned.  Also, I think they may not keep the samples as the operation was done 3 months ago.  Sorry for my ignorance but I really need your help.  
Kindest regards,
YT

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi.  I think the best thing to do in your wife's case is to get a certification from the pathologist who read the biopsy slides regarding the invasiveness and malignant potential of your wife's tumor.  Such a certification is most probably acceptable to the insurance company.  As an alternative, you can have the biopsy slides reviewed by a second pathologist who can issue the certification.

[kartsoi2000]

Dear Fernando,

Sorry to borther you.  I really need your help.  My wife's insurance company
said they will not pay for the benefit because my wife's case does not fit
with their definition of "Cancer".  Their definition of Cancer is "Cancer is
defined as a focal autonomous new growth of abnormal cells which has
resulted in the invasion of normal tissues."  For a layman like me, I
believe phyllodes tumour is some kind of abnormal cells and also it must be
invasion of normal breast tissues to grow in such a big size (6 cm).  My
wife's clinical report indicated that the diagnosis is phyllodes tumour of
borderline malignancy, margin involvement.  Does "margin involvement"
indicated that there is invasion of normal tissues?

Please kindly help.

Much obliged.

YT

[kartsoi2000]

Dear Fernando,
Thank you very much for your help.
Warmest regards,
YT

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Yes. You can consider borderline malignant phyllodes tumor as a type of low grade cancer.  "Borderline malignancy" means that the tumor has numerous cellular features ("atypia") which can be found in cancer cells, but certain features, like the ability to invade neighboring tissue, or the ability to metastasize to other body organs, have not been observed. The absence of these key features does not mean that invasion and metastases may not happen in the future. It may only mean that the tumor is presently at an early stage in its development.

[kartsoi2000]

Dear Fernando,
Do borderline malignancy phyllodes tumors considered as a low grade cancer?
Kindest regards,
YT

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi.  Phyllodes tumors are a rare type of breast tumor comprising less than 1 percent of all breast masses.  Most phyllodes tumors are benign or non-cancerous (around 60-90%) while a small number (10%) are malignant and behave like soft tissue sarcomas.  When phyllodes tumors become malignant, they usually spread to the lungs, liver, bones or heart.  Although benign phyllodes tumors do not spread to distant body organs, they have a high rate of recurrence, particularly if wide excision was not done to remove them.