Response and long-term effect of patients with triple-negative breast cancer receiving neo-adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE The breast cancer lack of expression of estrogen receptor （ER）, progesterone receptor （PR）, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 （HER-2） is defined as the Triple-negative breast cancer （TNBC）. Our purpose is to compare the response and long-term effect of the TNBC and non-TNBC patients receiving neo-adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy, and to investigate the mechanisms of TNBC affecting the survivals. METHODS Data of long-term follow-up （median, 5.4 years） of 326 patients who received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with anthracycline-based regimen, during a period from 2000 to 2003, were analyzed. Expressions of ER, PR, HER-2, P53, Ki-67 and E-cadherin were determined using immunohistochemical staining method. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to analyze independent prognostic factors affecting the relapse-free survival （RFS） and overall survival （OS） rates. Clinical effects of the neo-adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapeutic regimen and the RFS and OS rates were compared between the patients with TNBC and non-TNBC, and the correlations among the triplenegative phenotype （TNP）, tumor grading and the expressions of P53, Ki-67 and E-cadherins were analyzed. RESULTS TNP, TNM staging, histological grades, clinical response of the neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and pathological complete remission （pCR） rate were the independent prognostic factors affecting the survival rates. Furthermore, 70 （21.5%） of the 326 patients suffered TNBC. Compared with the subjects in non-TNBC group, the patients with TNBC had a significantly higher pCR rate （P = 0.046） and clinical response rate （P = 0.037）, but also decreased 5-year RFS （P = 0.001） and OS （P = 0.004） rates. The RFS and OS rates were not improved in the TNBC patients who achieved a clinical remission after the neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. The triple-negative phenotype was positively correlated with the level of P53, Ki-67 expression （P = 0.007, P = 0.028）, but negatively correlated with level of E-cadherin （P = 0.034）. CONCLUSION Both clinical remission rate and pCR rate of the TNBC patients receiving neo-adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy are high, however, the long-term effect is poor. The mechanism may relate to a strong potential of proliferation and invasive metastasis, as well as lack of an effective therapeutic target in the TNBC patients.     

SUVmax、Ki-67、p53、EGFR对三阴性乳腺癌新辅助化疗疗效的预测价值

目的 探讨18F-FDG PET/CT化疗前SUVmax、Ki-67、p53、EGFR对三阴性乳腺癌（TNBC）及非三阴性乳腺癌（非TNBC）对新辅助化疗完全病理缓解（pathologic complete response, pCR）率的预测价值。方法 初治TNBC患者27例,非TNBC患者184例,在新辅助化疗前行18F-FDG PET/CT显像并测量其SUVmax,取化疗前乳腺肿瘤组织进行Ki-67、p53、EGFR免疫组织化学分析并计算化疗后完全pCR率。结果 TNBC新辅助化疗前的SUVmax明显高于非TNBC的SUVmax（P=0.045）,TNBC新辅助化疗后pCR率明显高于非TNBC（P＜0.001）。在TNBC以及非TNBC中,达到pCR组的化疗前SUVmax与未达到pCR组之间差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。Ki-67、p53、EGFR阳性表达组的pCR率与阴性表达组之间差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论 TNBC对新辅助化疗的敏感度高于非TNBC,且TNBC化疗前SUVmax高于非TNBC,提示TNBC具有较高的能量代谢。化疗前SUVmax以及Ki-67、p53、EGFR不能预测TNBC及非TNBC新辅助化疗的pCR。     

Ki-67 can be used for further classification of triple negative breast cancer into two subtypes with different response and prognosis

Introduction

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poorer survival, despite a higher response rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to identify the predictive or prognostic value of Ki-67 among patients with TNBC treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the role of Ki-67 in further classification of TNBC.

Methods

A total of 105 TNBC patients who received neoadjuvant docetaxel/doxorubicin chemotherapy were included in the present study. Pathologic complete response (pCR) rate, relapse-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared according to the level of Ki-67.

Results

pCR was observed in 13.3% of patients. TNBC with high Ki-67 expression (≥10%) showed a higher pCR rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy than TNBC with low Ki-67 expression. None of the low Ki-67 group achieved pCR (18.2% in the high Ki-67 group vs. 0.0% in the low Ki-67 group, P = 0.019). However, a high Ki-67 expression was significantly associated with poor RFS and OS in TNBC, despite a higher pCR rate (P = 0.005, P = 0.019, respectively). In multivariate analysis, high Ki-67 was an independent prognostic factor for RFS in TNBC (hazard ratio = 7.82, P = 0.002). The high Ki-67 group showed a similar pattern of recurrence with overall TNBC, whereas the low Ki-67 group demonstrated a relatively constant hazard rate for relapse.

Conclusions

TNBC with high Ki-67 was associated with a more aggressive clinical feature despite a higher pCR rate. High proliferation index Ki-67 can be used for further classification of TNBC into two subtypes with different responses and prognosis.     

三阴性乳腺癌新辅助化疗后组织中Ki-67表达变化及其与疗效和预后的相关性

目的:探讨三阴性乳腺癌（triple negative breast cancer,TNBC）新辅助化疗（neoadjuvant chemotherapy,NAC）后组织中Ki-67表达变化及其与疗效和预后的相关性。方法:选取我院2013年01月至2018年01月经病理确诊为TNBC的患者70例,根据免疫组化法检测NAC后组织中Ki-67表达的变化,并根据Ki-67的表达变化将患者分为三组,分别为:低表达转为高表达组、表达无变化组和高表达转为低表达组,对比三组患者NAC的疗效,并应用Kaplan-Meier法绘制三组患者的生存曲线进行生存分析。结果:NAC后49例患者达到临床缓解,27例患者达到病理完全缓解（pathological complete response,pCR）。NAC后高表达转为低表达组可获得较好的临床缓解率及pCR率,三组患者的比较结果显示差异具有明显统计学意义（P＜均0.05）。无病生存率（disease free survival,DFS）在低表达转为高表达组、表达无变化组及高表达转为低表达组中的差异具有明显统计学意义（P=0.001）;三组患者的OS比较结果显示差异无明显统计学意义（P=0.085）。结论:TNBC患者NAC后组织中Ki-67的表达可发生改变,Ki-67表达降低的患者可能具有较好的疗效及预后。     

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer: a meta-analysis with 7168 cases简

Objective:The pathological complete response (pCR) rates of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in triple-nega-tive breast cancer (TNBC) was reported higher than that in non-TNBC but ranged from 12%to 48%. pCR was reported to be a predictor of long overal survival and exact pCR rate of NAC in TNBC would give us some hints on how to improve outcomes of TNBC patients. The meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pCR rate of NAC for TNBC through contrasting the pCR rates of TNBC and non-TNBC tumors in NAC. Methods:Studies were selected from the PubMed database and Cochrane Col aboration Library. pCR rates were col ected in groups of TNBC and non-TNBC tumors. Review Manager 4.2 was used to perform forest plots and funnel plots. Results:The analysis included 22 studies with 7168 patients, the aggregate pCR rate was 29.5%in TNBC group, which was 17.7%higher than non-TNBC. The summary relative risk (RR) for pCR rate of TNBC group with that of non-TNBC group was 2.55. No obvious statistical heterogeneity and publication bias was detected. Conclu-sion:This meta-analysis demonstrated that NAC showed a higher pCR rate in TNBC than non-TNBC.     

乳腺癌组织中乳腺癌易感基因1、增殖细胞核抗原Ki-67表达的临床意义

目的 探讨乳腺癌组织中乳腺癌易感基因1（BRCA1）、增殖细胞核抗原Ki-67表达的临床意义.方法 采用免疫组织化学法检测194例乳腺癌病理组织标本BRCA1、Ki-67的表达情况,并对其与临床病理参数的相关性进行分析.结果 194例乳腺癌中,淋巴结阳性组、雌激素受体（ER）/孕激素受体（PR）阴性组和人表皮生长因子受体2（HER-2）阳性组的BRCA1低表达率较高（P＜0.05）,三阴组中BRCA1低表达率高于非三阴组（P＜0.05）;Ki-67高表达者多为组织分级较高、ER/PR阴性和HER-2阳性患者（P＜0.05）;且BRCA1和Ki-67具有负相关性（P＜0.05）,绝经后、组织分级低、淋巴结阳性、ER/PR阴性、HER-2阳性患者的BRCA1低表达合并Ki-67高表达所占比例较高（P＜0.05）,但在三阴组与非三阴组间差异无统计学意义.结论 联合检测BRCA1、Ki-67对乳腺癌的临床转归具有一定预测意义,尤其是BRCA1可作为三阴性乳腺癌的预后因素之一.     

三阴性乳腺癌患者的临床特征及新辅助化疗疗效与预后的相关性

 目的　探讨三阴性乳腺癌（TNBC）的临床病理特点及远期生存率。并分析其新辅助化疗的疗效与生存率的相关性。方法　研究对象为535例乳腺癌患者,其中TNBC患者75例,非TNBC患者460例,对其临床和病理资料以及 5年的无病生存（DFS）率及总生存（OS）率进行回顾性分析,并与同期的非TNBC患者进行对比。535例中88例患者接受术前新辅助化疗,TNBC患者26例,非TNBC患者62例,分析其化疗疗效与远期生存的相关性。结果　TNBC患者与非TNBC患者相比,中位年龄轻（35岁比44岁）,绝经前患者居多（88.0 % 比67.2 %,P＝0.009）;浸润性导管癌多见（92. 0 % 比80.4 %,P＝0.020）,组织学分级Ⅱ级者居多（56.0 %比17.2 %,P＝0.000）;淋巴结转移阳性者较少（33.3 %比53.9 %,P＝0.001）;TNBC组5年DFS（66.67 %）、OS（80.0 %）明显低于非TNBC组（74.78 %、90.0 %）。接受新辅助化疗的TNBC患者与非TNBC患者相比,化疗的总有效（OR）率（88.46 %比82.26 %）、临床完全缓解（cCR）率（65.38 %比37.10 %）、部分缓解（PR）率（23.08 %比45.16 %）差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。新辅助化疗的TNBC患者与非TNBC患者相比,5年的OS率（73.08 %比80.65 %）差异具有统计学意义（P＝0.049）;5年的DFS率（65.38 %比72.58 %）差异具有统计学意义（P＝0.253）。分层分析发现：获得cCR的TNBC与非TNBC患者的5年DFS及OS差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。未获得cCR TNBC患者的5年DFS及OS均显著低于非TNBC患者（P＜0.05）,临床OR对两组的5年DFS及OS无影响（P＞0.05）。结论　TNBC多见于年轻的绝经前妇女,主要病理类型为浸润性导管癌,核分级高,淋巴结转移少见,但相对非TNBC患者有较低的DFS率和OS率,TNBC患者对新辅助化疗更敏感,更易获得cCR,获得cCR的TNBC患者预后好,未获得cCR的TNBC患者远期生存率明显低于非TNBC患者     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗疗效及其与生物标志物检测水平变化的相关性

目的:探讨乳腺癌新辅助化疗疗效及其与生物标志物检测水平变化的相关性。方法:通过对乳腺癌新辅助化疗患者疗效的评估以及空心针穿刺标本和手术标本的免疫组织化学染色比较,分析新辅助化疗疗效与生物标志物改变情况,以及二者的关系、影响因素。结果:在76例新辅助化疗的患者中,达到病理完全缓解（pCR）的患者有14例(18.4%),临床有效率达75.00%。对新辅助化疗疗效的相关因素分析,发现雌激素受体（ER）、孕激素受体（PR）状态与疗效相关（P均<0.05）。进一步对14例达到pCR患者的生物标志物进行分析,ER阴性的患者有10例(71.4%)、PR阴性的患者有9例(64.3%)。对比生物标志物,发现新辅助化疗患者Ki-67改变差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,而ER、PR、p53改变情况差异无统计学意义（P均＞0.05）。结论:新辅助化疗具有较高的临床缓解率,新辅助化疗疗效与ER、PR状态有关,ER、PR表达较弱者相对较容易达到pCR,并且新辅助化疗后患者生物标志物只有Ki-67改变。     

紫杉类新辅助治疗人表皮生长因子受体2阳性乳腺癌的近期疗效分析

目的探讨HER-2阳性乳腺癌对含紫杉类新辅助化疗的敏感性。方法回顾分析159例HER-2阳性的进展期乳腺癌新辅助化疗疗效,采用X2检验比较蒽环类为主化疗方案（蒽环组）和紫杉类为主化疗方案（紫杉组）病理完全缓解率和化疗有效率的差异。结果葸环组和紫杉组的病理完全缓解率分别为7．4％和25．6％,紫杉组明显高于葸环组（X2=9．658,P=0．002）;化疗有效率分别为85．2％和80．8％,两组间差异无统计学意义（x2=0．550,P=0．458）。结论HER-2阳性的进展期乳腺癌患者选择含紫杉类药物联合化疗方案可取得更好的病理完全缓解率。     

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Correlation between Androgen Receptor Expression and Pathological Response

Background: There is growing evidence that the response to chemotherapy may be affected by Androgen Receptor (AR) expression suggesting that triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) AR+ and quadruple negative breast cancer (QNBC) subtypes may have different diseases behavior. Methodology: We retrospectively estimated the predictive value of the AR expression in stage II and stage III TNBC patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and correlated with the rate of pathological response (pCR). Results: Of 89 TNBC patients, 29 patients (32.6%) were TNBC AR+ and 60 patients (67.4) were QNBC. Most of the patients were less than 60 years old. Of note, approximately 62% in the QNBC group were less than 40 years old compared with 39 % in the TNBC AR+ group. The Ki-67 expression was higher in the QNBC in comparison with TNBC AR+ being 86.7% and 65.5%, respectively. QNBC subgroup showed higher rates of pCR compared with TNBC; 60% and 24%, respectively. Higher Ki-67 expression, higher grade, and lymph node involvement were statistically significantly correlated with the rate of pCR in the QNBC group (p=0.02, p=0.04, and p=0.03, respectively). In contrast, no significant association was observed between pCR and clinical-pathological features in the TNBC AR+ group. Conclusion: Our results suggested that the AR expression in TNBC may be applied as a predictive marker for NAC. TNBC AR+ had a lower rate of pCR compared with QNBC, suggesting that this subtype may have a partial chemoresistance.     

影响青年乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗后病理完全缓解和预后的病理因素分析

目的:探讨影响青年乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗（neoadjuvant chemotherapy,NAC）后病理完全缓解（pathological complete response,pCR）和预后的临床病理因素。方法:回顾性分析2010年01月至2018年12月我院甲乳外科收治年龄≤35岁行NAC的女性乳腺癌患者的临床病理资料。NAC后依据Miller-Payne评分系统,将患者分为pCR组和非pCR组。探讨临床病理因素对青年乳腺癌患者pCR、复发转移和死亡的影响,同时分析pCR与无病生存期（disease free survival,DFS）与总生存期（overall survival,OS）之间的相关性。结果:168例患者中pCR 37例,pCR率为22.0%。体质量指数(body mass index,BMI)、术前淋巴结状态、雌激素受体（estrogen receptor,ER）、孕激素受体（progesterone receptor,PR）、人类表皮生长因子受体2（human epidermal growth factor receptor-2,HER-2）、Ki-67、p53及分子分型与青年乳腺癌患者NAC后的pCR率关系密切（P＜0.05）。肿瘤大小、术前淋巴结状态、ER、PR、HER-2、p53及分子分型影响患者的复发转移和死亡（P＜0.05）,同时肿瘤大小、术前淋巴结状态、组织学分级、ER、PR、HER-2、Ki-67及分子分型均是DFS和OS的独立影响因素（P＜0.05）。66例复发转移患者中pCR患者7例,占pCR患者的18.9%（7/37）,pCR组和非pCR组DFS比较差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。38例死亡患者中pCR患者3例,占pCR患者的8.1%（3/37）,pCR组和非pCR组OS比较差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论:影响青年乳腺癌患者pCR和预后的临床病理因素较多,获得pCR的患者具有更好的远期预后。     

Ki-67阳性或阴性表达乳腺癌不同辅助治疗方案的远期疗效比较

目的 探讨不同Ki-67表达情况下,乳腺癌术后不同辅助化疗方案及辅助化疗后接受不同内分泌药物治疗的远期疗效。方法 收集2008年1月至2009年12月694例乳腺癌患者,术后均接受蒽环类或蒽环类序贯紫杉类方案化疗;再选取其中ER阳性且绝经的261例患者,均接受选择性雌激素受体调节剂（SERM）或芳香化酶抑制剂（AI）内分泌治疗。对Ki-67不同表达情况下,不同辅助化疗方案及辅助化疗后不同内分泌药物治疗与无病生存期（DFS）和总生存期（OS）的关系进行分析。结果（1） 527例Ki-67阳性乳腺癌患者的中位DFS和OS分别为37.0个月和38.0个月,其中蒽环类方案组和序贯紫杉类方案组的中位DFS分别为36.5个月和38.0个月（P=0.046）,OS分别为38.0个月和39.0个月（P=0.045）;167例Ki-67阴性患者的中位DFS和OS分别为49.4个月和51.5个月,蒽环类方案组和序贯紫杉类方案组的中位DFS和OS差异均无统计学意义。在Ki 67和ER表达的4种组合中,仅Ki-67+ER-表达组蒽环类方案与序贯紫杉类方案的中位DFS（30.5个月vs.35.9个月,P=0.030）和中位OS（39.2个月vs.42.1个月,P=0.160）的差异有统计学意义。（2）261例ER阳性且绝经的患者中,200例Ki-67阳性者的中位DFS和OS分别为38.0个月和39.0个月,另外61例Ki-67阴性患者的中位DFS和OS分别为52.0个月和53.3个月;无论Ki-67阳性或阴性表达,接受SERM或AI治疗患者的DFS和OS均无显著差异。结论 在Ki-67阳性乳腺癌术后辅助化疗中,蒽环类序贯紫杉类方案疗效优于蒽环类方案。在ER阳性接受内分泌治疗的绝经患者中,SERM和AI在不同Ki-67表达者中的疗效相当。     

新辅助化疗方案治疗三阴性乳腺癌的效果及生存观察

目的 观察多西他赛＋吡柔比星＋环磷酰胺（TAC方案）治疗三阴性乳腺癌患者的疗效和生存情况.方法 乳腺癌患者51例,三阴组：26例三阴性乳腺癌,Ⅱ期16期,Ⅲ期10例,非三阴组：25例非三阴性乳腺癌,Ⅱ期14期,Ⅲ期11例,两组患者均接受多西他赛联合吡柔比星化疗,多西他赛75 mg/m2,静脉滴注,第1天;吡柔比星40 mg/m2,静脉滴注,第1天;环磷酰胺500 mg/m2,第1天,21d重复.51例患者中位治疗周期数为4个周期.分析乳腺癌患者的疗效和生存情况.结果 三阴组术前临床完全缓解（cCR）9例（34.62％）,临床部分缓解（cPR） 14例（53.85％）,总有效率88.46％.术后病理完全缓解（pCR）7例（26.92％）,非三阴组：术前cCR 6例（24.00％）,cPR 8例（32.00％）,总有效率56.00％,术后pCR 4例（16.00％）,两组3年的总生存率分别为73.08％、88.00％,显示三阴性乳腺癌有较差的预后,达pCR的三阴性乳腺癌患者5年生存率（88.89％）高于未达到pCR的三阴性乳腺癌患者（47.06％）.结论 TAC方案对局部晚期三阴性乳腺癌有较高缓解率和降期效果,可提高三阴性乳腺癌的疗效,安全性较好.     

Ki-67、CDK4表达与中晚期乳腺癌新辅助化疗效果的相关性分析北大核心

目的:分析Ki-67核抗原(Ki-67)、CDK4表达与中晚期乳腺癌新辅助化疗(NACT)效果的相关性。方法:回顾性选取2016年4月至2018年6月我院的中晚期乳腺癌患者70例,均于新辅助化疗后实施手术,依据化疗效果分为有效组、无效组,采用免疫组化法检测两组化疗前Ki-67、CDK4表达水平,比较不同Ki-67、CDK4表达水平患者病理完全缓解率(pCR)、2年复发转移情况。结果:有效组Ki-67高表达率、CDK4阳性率高于无效组(P<0.05);Ki-67高表达患者pCR率高于Ki-67低表达者,CDK4高表达者pCR率高于CDK4低表达者(P<0.05);Kaplan-Meier曲线显示,Ki-67低表达的乳腺癌患者2年复发转移率低于Ki-67高表达者(P<0.05),CDK4高表达的乳腺癌患者2年复发转移率与CDK4低表达者无明显差异(P>0.05);Spearman相关分析显示,乳腺癌患者Ki-67、CDK4表达变化与化疗效果呈正相关(r=0.569、0.481,P<0.05)。结论:Ki-67、CDK4高表达的乳腺癌患者经NACT后获得pCR率更高,化疗疗效更优,但Ki-67高表达者预后较差,CDK4表达情况与预后相关性不大。     

曲妥珠单抗在HER-2阳性乳腺癌患者新辅助治疗中的应用研究进展

曲妥珠单抗是人表皮生长因子受体-2（human epidermal growth factor receptor-2,HER-2）的特异性抑制剂,在HER-2阳性乳腺癌患者新辅助治疗中的应用日益广泛。大规模的随机、对照临床试验证实,新辅助化疗联合曲妥珠单抗与单纯化疗比较能显著提高病理完全缓解（pathologic complete response,pCR）率。在曲妥珠单抗联合化疗的基础上加用拉帕替尼较单用曲妥珠单抗可大大提高pCR率。蒽环与非蒽环类化疗药物均可作为曲妥珠单抗的联合用药,内分泌治疗也可作为雌激素受体阳性患者的联合用药。pCR是曲妥珠单抗新辅助治疗后生存获益的独立预后因素,HER-2转阴而未达到pCR的患者为不良预后因素。本文将对曲妥珠单抗在HER-2阳性乳腺癌患者新辅助治疗中的研究进展进行综述。      

Increased efficacy of a dose-dense regimen of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast carcinoma: a retrospective analysis

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is being increasingly used in the treatment of breast carcinoma. We performed a single-center retrospective analysis of the results of neoadjuvant therapy in 376 breast carcinoma patients treated with three different regimens combining doxorubicin and paclitaxel (AT), dose-dense doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide with sequential weekly paclitaxel (DD AC-P), or the combination of trastuzumab with chemotherapy (DD AC-PT). The expression of estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 was determined immunohistochemically. Pathological response was determined in 318 patients. Pathological complete response (pCR) was observed in 18% of patients. The pCR rate was significantly higher in patients treated with DD regimen (22 vs. 13%) and younger than 55 years (23 vs. 13%). The pCR rate was higher in patients with triple negative (TN) tumors (43%) and tumors over-expressing HER-2 (HER-2+; 28%) compared to patients with ER- or PR-positive tumors not expressing HER-2 (ER/PR + HER-2?; 6%). In patients with TN tumors pCR rate was significantly higher after treatment with DD AC-P compared to AT (61 vs. 22%, p = 0.005). pCR was associated with significantly improved relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS), but when analysis was performed based on tumor phenotype, the difference was significant only in patients with TN tumors. In multivariate analysis, pCR, stage, and ER expression were significant predictors of RFS, while pCR, stage, ER and DD regimen were significant predictors of OS. In conclusion, present data indicate superiority of a DD regimen in obtaining pCR in patients with breast carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The difference in efficacy is due mostly to markedly higher pCR rate in patients with TN tumors.     

HER-2/neu expression as a predictor of response to neoadjuvant docetaxel in patients with operable breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The use of biologic markers to predict response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy may permit tailoring regimens to achieve maximal tumor response. Taxanes have demonstrated excellent activity in breast carcinoma; however, tumor-specific factors that predict clinical response have not been characterized thoroughly. METHODS: The authors performed a historic review evaluating the association of tumor prognostic factors and response to neoadjuvant cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin (AC) with or without docetaxel (D) (AC vs. AC+D) in 121 women who previously were enrolled in a Phase III, randomized, clinical trial. Using pretreatment biopsy materials, immunohistochemical studies were performed for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER-2/neu, p53, and Ki-67. Outcome variables were pathologic complete response (pCR) and positive clinical response (cPOS), which was defined as a >/= 50% regression in clinical tumor size prior to surgery. RESULTS: In a multivariate analysis that controlled for tumor size and lymph node status, improved cPOS rates were observed with the addition of docetaxel in women with HER-2/neu-negative tumors (81% vs. 51%; P < 0.05), yielding an adjusted odds ratio of 3.5 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-13.0) in favor of docetaxel. Women who had HER-2/neu-negative tumors appeared to have a lower response rate with AC alone compared with women who had HER-2/neu-positive tumors (51% vs. 75%; P = 0.06), but response rates were matched when docetaxel was added (81% vs. 78%; P = 0.99). ER, PR, p53, and Ki-67 results were not associated significantly with response rates. CONCLUSIONS: HER-2/neu status may predict improved clinical response rates from the addition of docetaxel to anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Docetaxel may "rescue" the response in women who have HER-2/neu-negative tumors to match that observed in women who have HER-2/neu-positive tumors treated with AC alone.     

Prognostic value of initial clinical disease stage after achieving pathological complete response

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the prognostic impact of initial clinical stage in patients who achieved a pathological complete response (pCR) after receiving primary systemic chemotherapy (PST). Between 1977 and 2006, 489 patients who had achieved a pCR after receiving an anthracycline-based PST regimen were identified. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier product limit method and the differences between groups were compared using the log-rank statistic. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to determine the association of initial clinical stage with survival outcomes after adjusting for patient and tumor characteristics. The median age was 47 years. Twenty (4.1%) patients had stage I disease, 243 (49.7%) had stage II disease, 189 (38.7%) had stage III disease, and 37 (7.5%) had inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). At a median follow-up of 45 months, 59 (12%) patients had experienced disease recurrence. The 5-year RFS and OS rates for the whole cohort were 87.8% and 89.3%, respectively. Lower clinical stage at diagnosis was associated with statistically significant higher RFS and OS rates. In a multivariate model, patients with clinical stage IIIB/C disease and those with IBC had lower RFS rates than patients with clinical stage I/II/IIIA disease. In addition, patients with clinical stage IIIB/C disease and those with IBC had a greater hazard of death than patients with clinical stage I/II/IIIA disease. Overall, patients who achieved a pCR had a low rate of recurrence. However, higher clinical stage and IBC were associated with worse outcomes in breast cancer patients who achieved a pCR after PST.     

Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Single or Dual Anti-HER-2 Therapy Combined with Chemotherapy in Patients with HER-2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Background: Studies have shown that neoadjuvant anti-HER-2 therapy and chemotherapy can increase pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in HER-2-positive breast cancer patients and improve prognosis. However, data from Chinese patients are limited. Therefore, we conducted a single-center retrospective study to evaluate the effects of neoadjuvant single or dual anti-HER-2 therapy and chemotherapy in Chinese HER-2-positive breast cancer patients and to explore the prognostic indicators of pCR and progression-free survival (PFS). Methods: We included patients with HER-2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant anti-HER-2 therapy and chemotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in China from January 2016 to July 2020. We analyzed the relationship between patient characteristics and the pCR rate or PFS. Results: Forty-seven patients with HER-2-positive breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant anti-HER-2 therapy and chemotherapy were included. Univariate analysis suggested that compared with patients receiving neoadjuvant single anti-HER-2 therapy, patients receiving neoadjuvant dual anti-HER-2 therapy tended to have a higher pCR rate and better PFS. Patients who achieved pCR also tended to have longer PFS. Multivariate analysis indicated that patients with greater systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) reduction (>0.54) during neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) and patients with a lower T stage were more likely to achieve pCR. Patients aged ≤60 years with lower Ki-67 had longer PFS. Conclusion: Greater SIRI reduction during NAT was an independent influencing factor for pCR. Patients receiving neoadjuvant dual anti-HER-2 therapy and chemotherapy tended to have higher pCR rates and longer PFS. Patients who achieved pCR also tended to have longer PFS.     

Stratifying triple-negative breast cancer: which definition(s) to use?

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) have increased rates of pathologic complete response following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, yet have poorer prognosis compared with non-TNBC. Known as the triple-negative paradox, this highlights the need to dissect the biologic and clinical heterogeneity within TNBC. In the present issue, Keam and colleagues suggest two subgroups of TNBC exist based on the proliferation-related marker Ki-67, each with differential response and prognosis following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. To place results into context, we review several definitions available under the TNBC umbrella that may stratify TNBC into clinically relevant subgroups.