Here is what I have found so far:

1) Unfortunately, there is very little information specific to metaplastic breast carcinoma. This is due to the rarity of the disease. Metaplastic carcinoma is a group of breast cancers that exhibit a non-glandular growth pattern. These tumors account for less than one percent of all breast cancers. The changes that occur in these tumor cells sometimes manifest as spindle cells. The origin of the spindle cell type of metaplastic carcinoma is believed to be in the ducts of the breast.

Because metaplastic carcinoma is such a rare type of breast cancer, treatment options and prognosis (outcome) information is not as well known as the other, more common types of breast cancer. In general, treatment seems to be mastectomy (surgical removal of the breast). The effectiveness of metaplastic carcinoma to radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy is not clear.
While the prognosis is not always good, it is important to remember that each person is and individual, not a statistic. While numbers can be compiled and generalizations can be made about certain medical events to create statistics, it is not possible to predict how any one individual will respond to a given situation. A persons response to their disease and to its treatment is unique, in many ways is not like that same illness in anyone else. Response to a disease may be influenced by several factors, including the general health of the individual, the coping mechanism, religious belief and support system.

2) I ran a general search on the internet and found a few results with metaplastic carcinoma. A brief synopsis of what I found is as follows:

Infiltrating (invasive) breast carcinoma differs from intraductal carcinoma (ductal carcinoma in situ) by the presence of stromal invasion, through which tumor cells spread not only locally but also regionally and distantly via vascular lymphatic space.
Invasive carcinoma are divided into two major types: ductal and lobular. The majority (75%) of infiltrating ductal carcinomas fall into the not otherwise specified category. The remaining 20% are special variants, which have distinct morphology and prognosis. The metaplastic carcinomas falls in the 20% category described above. The remaining 5% are infiltrating lobular carcinomas, including classic type and variants. Metaplastic breast carcinoma has elements of squamous metaplasia. Such tumors are rare in humans (though common in canines). The metaplastic patterns can include cartilagenous, bony, and myxoid areas as well.
I have also been searching the Internet and e-mailing many medical centers for help. There has to be someone out there with ideas to treat this cancer or clinical trials or SOMETHING. I just have not found it yet.

Anything I find, I will forward to you. I think any support someone can get is valuable. Good luck with your grandmother. I will add her to my thoughts. Feel free to e-mail me at wallenmm@corning.com   6-21-02
               

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