In-Depth Evaluation of the AJCC 2010 Staging System forLuminal-like Breast Cancer - An Analysis from a Free-StandingCancer Hospital

Purpose: Hormonal receptor (HR) positive breast cancer biologically differs from human epidermalgrowth factor receptor-2 (HER2) positive disease. The purpose of this study was tore-visit the current AJCC staging system in luminal-like (HR positive and HER2 negative)breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 2051 breast cancer patients treated between 1990 and 2008were included in this study who met the following criteria: 1) surgery as first treatment; 2) pathologystage I-III; 3) HR positive; and 4) HER2 negative. The T- and N-stage were eachre-visited to examine their correlation with 5-year breast cancer-related survival (BCRS). Results: According to the AJCC 2010 staging system, the stage I patients showed a 5-yearBCRS of 98.9%; stage IIA: 95.8%; stage IIB: 94.0%; stage IIIA: 90.4%, and stage IIIC: 75.8%(p＜0.001). Re-visiting the T-classification, the 5-year BCRS in T ≤ 0.5 cm N0 patients wassame as that of T 1.1-1.5 cm N0 patients (98.4% versus 99.2%); the 5-year BCRS in T1.6-2 cmN1 and N2 patients