Prognostic Significance of Lymphovascular Invasion in Breast Cancer - Insights From a Retrospective Analysis at a Tertiary Care Center

Q: What study objective focuses on lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in breast cancer?

The study examines how LVI relates to outcomes across histopathological subtypes, tumor grades, clinical stages, hormone receptor profiles, and treatment modalities.

Q: How was the prognostic impact of LVI evaluated?

OS and EFS were estimated using Kaplan–Meier curves, and independent predictors were identified using stepwise Cox models with multivariable adjustment.

Q: What were the key survival findings associated with LVI?

Patients with LVI showed significantly reduced mean overall survival and event-free survival, and LVI remained an independent predictor of poorer EFS after adjustment.

Sep 23, 2026

Upload by eBook King

Objective: Explore the relationship between lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and outcomes across histopathological subtypes, tumor grades, clinical stages, hormone receptor profiles, and treatment modalities in breast cancer. Methods: Retrospectively reviewed 828 women with invasive breast carcinoma treated at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (2010–2020). OS and EFS were estimated using Kaplan–Meier curves and assessed with stepwise Cox models. Results: LVI appeared in 31.5% of cases and predicted significantly worse OS and EFS, with persistent adverse effects across subgroups.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

Background on breast cancer incidence and variability

Definition and clinical relevance of LVI

Methods and Analysis

Data source and cohort

Survival analysis approach

Predictor modeling

SAUDI MEDICAL JOURNAL 2026;47:461–469 Scan the QR to view the full-text article on the journal website ORIGINAL ARTICLE Prognostic Signiﬁcance of Lymphovascular Invasion in Breast Cancer: Insights From a Retrospective Analysis at a Tertiary Care Center Nora Trabulsi, MBBS, MSc a,*, Shayma Alotaibi, MBBS b, Mohammed Bahabri, MBBS c, Hussain A. Alkhalifah, MBBS c, Ghady D. Alshehri, MBBS d, Sultan K. Alshali, MBBS e, Ali Farsi, MBBS, FRCSC a, Marwan Alhajeili, MD, MS f, Hassan Al-turki, MBBS, MPH, FRCSc a, Salma Sait, MBBS g, Alaa Shabkah, MBBS g, Rana Ajaboor, MBBS h, Hessa Aljhdali, MBBS h a Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia b Department of General Surgery, King Abdulaziz Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia c Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia d Department of Neurosciences, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia e Department of Surgery, Saudi German Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia f Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia g Department of Surgery, International Medical Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia h Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ABSTRACT Objective: To explore the relationship between lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and outcomes across diﬀerent histopathological subtypes, tumor grades, clinical stages, hormone receptor proﬁles, and treatment modalities. Lymphovascular invasion is a well-recognized histopathological feature associated with tumor dissemination in breast cancer. However, its prognostic weight is under-reported in Middle Eastern cohorts. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 828 women treated for invasive breast carcinoma at King Abdulaziz University Hospital from 2010 to 2020. Clinicopathologic variables, treatments, and outcomes were extracted. Overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were estimated and tested using Kaplan–Meier curves; independent predictors were identiﬁed with stepwise Cox models. Results: Lymphovascular invasion was identiﬁed in 31.5% of cases, and Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed signiﬁcantly reduced mean OS (9.94 vs. 12.43 years; p < 0.001) and EFS (8.33 vs. 11.23 years; p < 0.001) in these patients. Multivariable analysis adjusted for established clinicopathological covariates indicated LVI as an independent predictor of poorer EFS (HR D 1.909, 95% CI 1.218–2.992; p D 0.005). Additionally, positive estrogen receptor status conferred lower risk (HR D 0.543; 95% CI: 0.345–0.853; p D 0.008), while higher pathological N stages (N2 and N3) were correlated with signiﬁcantly increased hazard ratios for recurrence or death (HR D 3.515 and 4.479, respectively; both p < 0.01). Notably, the adverse prognostic impact of LVI persisted across diﬀerent histological subtypes, hormonal proﬁles, and treatment modalities. Received 26 July 2025; accepted 18 October 2025. Available online 10 March 2026 * Corresponding author. E-mail [addresses:](addresses: Noratrabulsi@gmail.com)[ Noratrabulsi@gmail.com](addresses: Noratrabulsi@gmail.com) (N. Trabulsi), [Otaibi.shayma@gmail.com](Otaibi.shayma@gmail.com) (S. Alotaibi), [Bahabry1999@gmail.com](Bahabry1999@gmail.com) (M. Bahabri), [Hussainalkhalifa7@gmail.com](Hussainalkhalifa7@gmail.com) (H. A. Alkhalifah), [ghadydhafer@gmail.com](ghadydhafer@gmail.com) (G. D. Alshehri), [sultankalshali@gmail.com](sultankalshali@gmail.com) (S. K. Alshali), [alihmfarsi@gmail.com](alihmfarsi@gmail.com) (A. Farsi), [Marwan.alhajeili@gmail.com](Marwan.alhajeili@gmail.com) (M. Alhajeili), [Hassan.alturki@gmail.com](Hassan.alturki@gmail.com) (H. Al-turki), [salmasait93@gmail.com](salmasait93@gmail.com) (S. Sait), [aashabkah@gmail.com](aashabkah@gmail.com) (A. Shabkah), [Rajabnoor@kau.edu.sa](Rajabnoor@kau.edu.sa) (R. Ajaboor), [haljhdali@kau.edu.sa](

FAQs

What study objective focuses on lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in breast cancer?

The study examines how LVI relates to outcomes across histopathological subtypes, tumor grades, clinical stages, hormone receptor profiles, and treatment modalities.

How was the prognostic impact of LVI evaluated?

OS and EFS were estimated using Kaplan–Meier curves, and independent predictors were identified using stepwise Cox models with multivariable adjustment.

What were the key survival findings associated with LVI?

Patients with LVI showed significantly reduced mean overall survival and event-free survival, and LVI remained an independent predictor of poorer EFS after adjustment.

Sep 23, 2026

Upload by eBook King