BILATERAL BREAST CANCER: DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS.

To assess bilateral breast cancer patients, initially diagnosed with stage II unilateral breast cancer. Material and Methods: 113 patients with stage 0-II breast cancer diagnosed between 1983 and 2011 were assessed. Of these, 8 patients had bilateral breast cancer: 7 patients with metachronous bilateral breast cancer and 1 patient with synchronous breast cancer. Breast ultrasound, mammography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were used to diagnose recurrence, loco regional and distant metastasis. Results: Age at diagnosis ranged from 37 to 59 years, with a maximum age incidence in the 4th decade (age between: 31-40 years). The average time interval between the two breast cancers was 8.125 years. The most common histological type was invasive ductal carcinoma. All eight patients with bilateral breast cancer had at least one type of recurrence/metastasis, mostly in the liver, and statistically the pleuro-pulmonary and liver metastases were the most frequent causes of death. Conclusions: Patients in the 4th decade diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer are at risk of developing bilateral breast cancer. In metachronous breast cancer, the time interval between the detection of the second breast cancer and death is directly proportional to the time interval between the two breast cancers.