Clinical Profile and Prognosis of Metastatic Breast Cancer with Pseudocirrhosis: A Rare and Dismal Condition

Author(s): Maria Fernanda Simões, Mauro DS Donadio, Daniela Sá, Jessica G Suerdieck, Maria FA Almeida, Ronaldo P Souza, Joyce ML Pereira, Monique T Celeste, Augusto O Saito, Solange M Sanches.

Background: Pseudocirrhosis (PC) is an uncommon condition characterized by radiological abnormalities suggestive of cirrhosis in individuals with liver metastasis, particularly those with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The prognosis is unfavorable, often leading to liver failure, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of the associated clinical and pathological factors.

Methodology: In this retrospective study, we examined patients with MBC who developed PC. The primary objectives were to delineate the clinical and pathological profiles of individuals with both PC and MBC and to assess overall survival (OS) based on various epidemiological, clinical, and pathological features.

Findings: The study included 44 patients, with a median age of 55.5 years. The luminal subtype was predominant in 83.3% of cases, and 54.6% exhibited metastases beyond the liver. The term "lobular contour" was commonly used in radiological descriptions of PC. The median time from the onset of liver metastasis to PC diagnosis was 33.3 months, and the median OS from PC diagnosis was 3.2 months. OS varied depending on histological type, number of metastases, prior chemotherapy lines, the cause of PC, and biochemical findings.

Conclusions: This study represents one of the most extensive series on PC in MBC. The median OS for PC patients was notably low and demonstrated variation based on the underlying cause of PC. Laboratory parameters, including aminotransferase, bilirubin, and albumin, may be useful as potential prognostic biomarkers