Hepatic staging in operable breast cancer: A reappraisal from a prospective study

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Abstract
A consecutive series of 100 patients affected by breast cancer and referred for surgical treatment were studied for the eventual spread of the tumour to the liver (echography, carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA], hepatic enzymes). Hepatic echography was positive in five cases: two also had bone and skin metastases at the time of diagnosis, and one was a case of remastectomy (these three patients died rather quickly of the disease); the remaining two patients are free of the disease 24 months after surgery and thus should be considered false‐positive cases. Hepatic enzymes were not significant. The same was true for CEA except in nine cases with levels > > 20 ng/ml (six of these had early local and/or distant metastases). It is concluded that the usefulness of routine hepatic echography before loco‐regional treatment of breast cancer is rather limited. CEA > > 20 ng/ml may be useful prognostically.