Ki-67与传统生物学标志物预测乳腺癌化疗药物敏感性的研究进展

乳腺癌是女性最常见的恶性肿瘤疾病。增殖抗原Ki-67、雌激素受体（ER）、孕激素受体（PR）及人表皮生长因子受体-2（CerbB-2）是乳腺癌病理检测常用生物标记物。多项研究证实,Ki-67高表达的乳腺癌化疗药物敏感性更高。ER、PR目前被广泛用于乳腺癌内分泌治疗的疗效预测,已有研究证实其可作为辅助化疗药物敏感性预测指标。CerbB-2阴性乳腺癌提示化疗敏感性较高已得到初步证实。本文阐述了有关Ki-67与传统生物学标志物预测乳腺癌辅助化疗药物敏感性的研究进展。     

激素受体和HER-2及Ki-67预NSL腺癌新辅助化疗疗效价值的分析

目的：探讨乳腺癌组织中雌激素受体（ER）、孕激素受体（PR）、人表皮生长因子受体2（HER-2）及Ki-67的表达状态对新辅助化疗反应的预测作用以及化疗前后其表达差异对疗效的影响。方法：免疫组织化学方法检测新辅助化疗前后118例乳腺癌组织的ER、PR、HER-2及Ki-67的表达情况,并分析其与新辅助化疗疗效的关系。结果：118例新辅助化疗乳腺癌病例中,ER-和PR-组pCR分别为26．1％和27．1％,明显高于ER＋组11．1％和PR＋组6．8％,P-0．003。HER-2和Ki-67的表达对新辅助化疗疗效无显著影响。新辅助化疗前ER、PR与Ki-67的表达呈明显负相关,P〈0．001;新辅助化疗后Ki-67的高表达病例数显著减少,P-0．001。结论：ER-／PR-的患者对新辅助化疗更为敏感,Ki-67在化疗后发生了显著下调,提示新辅助化疗能降低肿瘤的增殖活性。ER、PR及Ki-67可以作为新辅助化疗疗效的预测指标。     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗预测因子的研究进展

乳腺癌新辅助化疗预测因子的研究对乳腺癌患者选择敏感的化疗方案和避免不合适的化疗方案具有重要作用.目前,雌激素受体(ER)、孕激素受体(PR)和HER-2是乳腺癌新辅助化疗的主要预测因子.其他预测因子如Ki-67等将在未来乳腺癌新辅助化疗方案选择中显示出巨大的价值.     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗预测因子的研究进展

乳腺癌新辅助化疗预测因子的研究对乳腺癌患者选择敏感的化疗方案和避免不合适的化疗方案具有重要作用.目前,雌激素受体(ER)、孕激素受体(PR)和HER-2是乳腺癌新辅助化疗的主要预测因子.其他预测因子如Ki-67等将在未来乳腺癌新辅助化疗方案选择中显示出巨大的价值.     

乳腺癌临床病理指标以及分子分型对TEC新辅助化疗病理完全缓解的预测价值

目的  本研究旨在探讨乳腺癌临床病理指标以及乳腺癌分子分型对多西他赛联合表柔比星、环磷酰胺（TEC）的 新辅助化疗后病理完全缓解率（pathological complete response pCR）的预测价值。方法   对 214例经4周期TEC新辅助化疗的乳腺癌患者的临床病理资料进行回顾性分析;免疫组织化学检测经核心针穿刺 的癌组织雌激素受体（ER）、孕激素受体（PR）、人类表皮生长因子受体-2（HER2）、Ki67、p53表达情况,原位基 因免疫荧光杂交（FISH）检测HER2有无过表达;根据ER、PR、HER2、Ki67的表达情况将乳腺癌分为4种分子分型： LuminalA、 LuminalB、HER2过表达型和三阴性乳腺癌。分析不同的临床病理指标、不同分子分型与pCR的相关性。结果  4周期TEC新辅助化疗后pCR率为14.0%（30/214）;单因素分析：ER、PR、Ki67、乳腺癌分子分型与pCR均具有显 著相关性（P＜0.05）;乳腺癌分子分型各组间显示pCR率不同：LuminalA＜LuminalB＜HER2过表达型＜三阴性乳腺癌 ;多因素分析：与pCR具有显著相关性的分类变量为ER（OR=0.311,95%CI：0.136～0.712;P=0.006）和Ki67 （OR=2.788,95%CI：1.061～7.327;P=0.038）。结论  ER、PR、Ki67以及乳腺癌分子分型可能是TEC新辅助化疗后乳腺癌pCR的预测指标。     

局部进展期乳腺癌新辅助化疗前后生物标志物表达变化与疗效的相关性

目的：探讨局部进展期乳腺癌行新辅助化疗前后相关生物标志物的表达变化情况与化疗疗效的相关性。方法：采用免疫组化方法检测102例新辅助化疗前后局部进展期乳腺癌组织中雌激素受体（ER）、孕激素受体（PR）、人类表皮生长因子受体－2（HER －2）、p53和增殖细胞核抗原（Ki －67）等表达,分析化疗前后生物标志物表达变化与化疗疗效的相关性。结果：ER 阴性组、PR 阴性组、Ki －67高表达组的新辅助化疗有效率分别为50．0％、49．1％、51．4％,高于 ER 阳性组26．0％、PR 阳性组25．5％、Ki －67低表达组9．4％（P ＜0．05）。Logistic 多因素回归分析显示,ER、Ki －67的表达水平是评估化疗疗效的独立因素（P ＜0．05）。Luminal 型乳腺癌总生存期高于 non －Luminal 型（Long －rank 检验,P ＜0．05）。结论：ER、Ki －67、分子亚型可作为局部进展期乳腺癌新辅助化疗疗效判断的重要预测指标。     

激素受体和HER-2及Ki-67预测乳腺癌新辅助化疗疗效价值的分析

目的:探讨乳腺癌组织中雌激素受体(ER)、孕激素受体(PR)、人表皮生长因子受体2(HER-2)及Ki-67的表达状态对新辅助化疗反应的预测作用以及化疗前后其表达差异对疗效的影响。方法:免疫组织化学方法检测新辅助化疗前后118例乳腺癌组织的ER、PR、HER-2及Ki-67的表达情况,并分析其与新辅助化疗疗效的关系。结果:118例新辅助化疗乳腺癌病例中,ER-和PR-组pCR分别为26.1%和27.1%,明显高于ER+组11.1%和PR+组6.8%,P=0.003。HER-2和Ki-67的表达对新辅助化疗疗效无显著影响。新辅助化疗前ER、PR与Ki-67的表达呈明显负相关,P<0.001;新辅助化疗后Ki-67的高表达病例数显著减少,P=0.001。结论:ER-/PR-的患者对新辅助化疗更为敏感,Ki-67在化疗后发生了显著下调,提示新辅助化疗能降低肿瘤的增殖活性。ER、PR及Ki-67可以作为新辅助化疗疗效的预测指标。     

新辅助化疗对乳腺癌ER PR HER-2及Ki-67表达影响的研究进展

目前乳腺癌已成为女性发病率最高的恶性肿瘤,新辅助化疗（neoadjuvant chemotherapy,NAC）后雌激素受体（estrogen receptor,ER）、孕激素受体（progesterone receptor,PR）和人表皮生长因子受体-2（human epidermal growth factor receptor-2,HER-2）、Ki-67表达情况会有不同程度变化,这种变化机制是否会影响后续治疗方案的选择尚无定论。本文将就NAC对乳腺癌ER、PR、HER-2及Ki-67表达影响的研究进展进行综述。      

人表皮生长因子受体2阳性乳腺癌应用新辅助治疗的疗效及影响因素分析

目的 分析人表皮生长因子受体2(HER2)阳性乳腺癌应用新辅助治疗的疗效及影响因素。方法 选取47例HER2阳性乳腺癌患者,均接受曲妥珠单抗和帕妥珠单抗联合紫杉类+卡铂新辅助治疗。比较不同激素受体（HR）表达情况乳腺癌患者的临床特征,HER2阳性乳腺癌患者新辅助治疗总病理学完全缓解（tpCR）的影响因素采用Logistic回归分析。结果 47例HER2阳性乳腺癌患者中,HR阴性19例,HR阳性28例,HR阳性患者年龄≤50岁、月经状态为绝经前比例均明显高于HR阴性患者,乳腺病理学完全缓解（bpCR）率、tpCR率和客观缓解率（ORR）均明显低于HR阴性患者,差异均有统计学意义（P﹤0.01）。47例接受曲妥珠单抗和帕妥珠单抗联合紫杉类+卡铂新辅助治疗患者的tpCR率为70.21%(33/47),单因素分析结果显示,HER2阳性乳腺癌患者新辅助治疗的tpCR可能与雌激素受体（ER）和孕激素受体（PR）表达状态有关（P﹤0.01）;多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,ER表达情况、PR表达情况均不是HER2阳性乳腺癌患者新辅助治疗tpCR的影响因素（P﹥0.05）。结论曲妥珠单抗和帕妥...     

HER2阳性浸润性乳腺癌新辅助治疗反应的预测因子及治疗前后HER2状态变化的评估

背景与目的： 人表皮生长因子受体2（human epidermal growth factor receptor 2,HER2）阳性浸润性乳腺癌对抗于HER2新辅助治疗的反应显著,然而不同患者的反应并不一致,部分反应较差。本研究旨在探讨HER2阳性乳腺癌新辅助治疗反应的预测因子,并进一步评估新辅助治疗前后HER2状态的不一致性。方法： 收集深圳市人民医院2019—2021年经术前粗针穿刺活检确诊的110例HER2阳性乳腺癌患者,经新辅助治疗后行手术切除。采用免疫组织化学（immunohistochemistry,IHC）及荧光原位杂交（fluorescence in situ hybridization,FISH）检测术前穿刺标本中的HER2表达状态,并评估新辅助治疗后手术切除标本的病理学完全缓解（pathological complete response,pCR）状态及残余肿瘤负荷（residual cancer burden,RCB）分级,评价不同HER2状态对新辅助治疗效果的影响,并进一步比较新辅助治疗前后HER2、雌激素受体（estrogen receptor,ER）及孕激素受体（progesterone receptor,PR）状态的一致性。结果 ：110例乳腺癌患者根据HER2 IHC表达状态分为弥漫3+组（81例）、异质性3+组（20例）和2+且FISH基因扩增（2+FISH+）组（9例）。HER2弥漫3+组pCR率为54.3%,明显高于异质性3+组（5.0%）和2+FISH+组（11.1%）,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）,而异质性3+组和2+FISH+组的RCB分级更高。多因素分析显示,HER2弥漫3+是pCR的独立预测因子。7例（11.9%）HER2阳性乳腺癌患者在新辅助治疗后HER2转为阴性,大多数（85.7%）为异质性3+组和2+FISH+组病例。结论： HER2异质性会影响HER2阳性乳腺癌的新辅助治疗反应,评价穿刺活检标本中HER2 IHC异质性,并对新辅助治疗后残留癌灶HER2、ER和PR状态重新评估,有利于指导下一步治疗。新型抗体药物偶联物（antibody-drug conjugate,ADC）的出现有望为HER2异质性阳性乳腺癌患者带来生存获益。     

Ki-67 as a Predictor of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Purpose

The objectives of this study were to assess the potential value of Ki-67 in predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients and to suggest a reasonable cutoff value for classifying Ki-67 expression.

Methods

This study included 74 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery after anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2007 and 2012. We analyzed the clinical and immunohistochemical characteristics using core biopsy specimens obtained before neoadjuvant chemotherapy to determine their correlations with the response to chemotherapy.

Results

A clinical complete response was observed in 6 patients (8.1%); a clinical partial response, in 44 patients (59.5%); and clinical stable disease, in 24 patients (32.4%). A pathologic complete response (pCR) was observed in 10 patients (13.5%). In univariate analysis, estrogen receptor (ER) negativity (p=0.031), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity (p=0.040), and high Ki-67 expression (p=0.036) were predictive factors for a pCR. In multivariate analysis, Ki-67 was the only independent predictor of a pCR (p=0.049). The analysis of Ki-67 values revealed that 25% was a reasonable cutoff value for predicting the response to chemotherapy. In subgroup analysis, a higher Ki-67 value (≥25%) was a significant predictive factor for the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, especially in ER-negative and HER2-positive breast cancer patients.

Conclusion

Ki-67 expression in breast cancer tissue may be an effective factor for predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We suggest that a 25% level of Ki-67 expression is a reasonable cutoff value for predicting a response to chemotherapy. Moreover, Ki-67 is a useful predictive factor for pCR, especially in patients with ER-negative and HER2-positive breast cancer.     

Alterations of biomarker profiles after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer: tumor heterogeneity should be taken into consideration

Tumor biomarkers including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and Ki-67 are routinely tested in breast cancer patients and their status guides clinical management and predicts prognosis. A few retrospective studies have suggested that neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer may change the status of biomarker expression, which in turn will affect further management of these patients. In this study we take advantage of a relatively large cohort and aim to study the effect of NAC on biomarker expression and explore the impact of tumor size and lymph node involvement on biomarker status changes. We collected 107 patients with invasive breast cancer who received at least three cycles of NAC. We retrospectively performed and scored the immunohistochemistry (IHC) of ER, PR, HER2 and Ki-67 using both the diagnostic core biopsies before NAC and excisional specimens following NAC. HER2 gene status was assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization for cases with IHC result of 2+. We demonstrated that there was a significant decrease in expression of PR (P = 0.013) and Ki-67 (P = 0.000) in post-NAC specimens compared to pre-NAC core biopsies. In addition, cases with large tumor size (≥2cm) and cases with lymph node metastasis were more frequently to have biomarker changes. Finally we studied cases with HER2 status changes after NAC treatments in detail and emphasized the nature of tumor heterogeneity.     

HER2 and response to anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

BackgroundThe predictive role of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) to adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy remains controversial. Here, we investigated the association between HER2 status and pathological response in breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant anthracycline-based regimens.Patients and methodsWomen (n = 538) with operable primary breast cancer received neoadjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Pathological complete response (pCR) was defined as no invasive breast tumor cells in breast after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. HER2 status was determined by immunohistochemistry and/or by fluorescence in situ hybridization in core biopsy breast cancer tissue obtained before initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.ResultsIn this cohort of 538 patients, 23.9% of patients achieved a pCR in their breast. HER2-positive tumors had a lower rate of pCR than did HER2-negative tumors (14.7% versus 25.7%, P = 0.013); negative HER2 status remained as an independent favorable predictor of pCR after adjusted for age, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, tumor size, chemotherapy cycles, and tumor grade in a multivariate analysis (odds ratio = 3.14; 95% confidence interval = 1.60–6.16, P = 0.001). Furthermore, patients with a pCR had a higher 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate than did patients without a pCR (P = 0.007).ConclusionWomen with HER2-negative breast cancers rather than HER2-positive tumors benefit from anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.     

新辅助化疗对乳腺癌患者survivin、Ki-67、ER、C-erbB-2、p53和肿瘤组织学分级的影响及其疗效预测意义

目的探讨新辅助化疗对乳腺癌survivin、Ki-67、ER、C-erbB-2、p53和肿瘤组织学分级的影响,同时研究这些指标对新辅助化疗的疗效预测作用。方法通过免疫组织化学S-P法检测和HE染色对化疗前空芯针穿刺标本和化疗后手术切除的30例乳腺癌组织的survivin、Ki-67、ER、C-erbB-2、p53和肿瘤组织学分级的表达情况。化疗方案为CAF（CTX 600 mg/m^2,THP 50 mg/m2,5-FU500 mg/m^2）和TA（艾素75 mg/m^2,THP 30 mg/m^2）,每3周1疗程,用药2～3个疗程。化疗疗效通过采用临床体检、乳腺彩超检测及术后病理分析综合判断。结果 30例患者中70.0%（21/30）获PR,SD为30.0%（9/30）,全组无恶化病例,总有效率为70.0%（21/30）。通过对化疗前后的指标比较发现：新辅助化疗能降低Ki-67的表达（P〈0.01）和肿瘤分级（P〈0.05）。化疗前后survivin、ER、C-erbB-2和p53表达无明显变化（P〉0.05）。Ki-67高表达（≥20%）、肿瘤分级高的患者和Ki-67低表达（〈20%）、肿瘤分级较低的患者相比,化疗疗效更明显（P〈0.05）。结论新辅助化疗能显著降低乳腺癌组织Ki-67的表达和肿瘤分级,而对survivin、ER、C-erbB-2和p53表达均无显著影响,Ki-67高表达（≥20%）、肿瘤分级高的患者对化疗更敏感、短期疗效更显著。     

Shift in cytotoxic target from estrogen receptor-positive to estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells by trastuzumab in combination with taxane-based chemotherapy

Trastuzumab has shown significant clinical benefits in patients with operable and metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. However, the biological mechanism of the additional effect of trastuzumab administered in combination with conventional chemotherapy is poorly understood. We performed a retrospective analysis of 55 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with anthracycline and taxane (chemotherapy alone; CT), or trastuzumab in combination with taxane-based chemotherapy (CT+T) for neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We determined the therapeutic efficacies [clinical (CR) and pathological complete responses (pCR)] and changes in the proportion of positive cells for each biomarker pre- to post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy for each treatment regimen. Clinical-CR and quasi-pCR rates defined as the absence of invasive tumors or only a few remaining invasive tumor cells were 6.9 and 31.0% in the CT group and 46.2 and 65.4% in the CT+T group, respectively. In the CT group, the proportion of estrogen receptor (ER)-/progesterone receptor (PgR)-positive cells decreased significantly following treatment (ER, 73.5 vs. 50.9%; P=0.02). Changes in the proportion of ER-/PgR-positive cells were not noted in the CT+T group (ER, 81.9 vs. 80.3%; P=0.61), although a relatively greater decrease in the proportion of Ki-67-positive cells was found in the CT+T group than that in the CT group (-26.5 vs. -13.7%). These findings indicate that CT+T inhibits ER-negative and Ki-67-positive breast cancer cells. In conclusion, trastuzumab sensitized ER-negative proliferative cells to cytotoxic chemotherapy. This finding may indicate an additional clinical effect of trastuzumab when administered in combination with conventional chemotherapy as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for HER2-positive breast cancer.     

18F-FDG PET/CT SUVmax与乳腺浸润性导管癌临床病理特征及新辅助化疗疗效的相关性

 目的 探讨¹⁸F-脱氧葡萄糖（FDG）正电子发射计算机断层扫描（PET/CT）显像治疗前病灶最大标准摄取值（maximum standard uptake value, SUV_max）与乳腺浸润性导管癌临床病理特征的关系及与新辅助化疗疗效的相关性，以指导临床个体化治疗。方法 选取佛山市第一人民医院行¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT显像的272例初治乳腺浸润性导管癌患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析，测定原发病灶的SUV_max，分析临床病理特征、分子分型及新辅助化疗疗效与原发灶SUV_max的相关性。结果 乳腺癌原发灶的SUV_max在不同T分期、不同组织学分级、有无淋巴结转移方面差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05），雌激素受体（ER）和（或）孕激素受体（PR）阳性组与阴性组的SUV_max差异有统计学意义（P<0.05），人表皮生长因子受体2（HER2）阳性组与阴性组的SUV_max差异无统计学意义（P>0.05），Ki-67高表达者SUV_max高于低表达者（P<0.05）。Basal-like型和HER2过表达型SUV_max均高于Luminal A型乳腺癌（P<0.05）。病理完全缓解组与未达到病理缓解组SUV_max差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论 ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT SUV_max与乳腺癌的临床病理特征具有较大的相关性，原发病灶SUV_max较高者更能从新辅助化疗中获益。     

Clinicopathologic Factors Associated With Response to Neoadjuvant Anti-HER2–Directed Chemotherapy in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

BackgroundHER2-targeted neoadjuvant therapy has high efficacy in treating HER2-positive breast cancer. Response to neoadjuvant therapy helps clinicians make treatment decisions and make estimates about prognosis. This study examined clinicopathologic features to determine which may be most predictive of response to neoadjuvant therapy in HER2⁺ breast cancer.Patients and MethodsPatients with HER2⁺ breast cancer (n = 173) who had an initial biopsy performed between 2010 and 2016 were identified at our institution. Tumor response was evaluated on excisional specimens using the MD Anderson residual cancer burden (RCB) classification. Tumors with pathologic complete response (defined as no residual invasive carcinoma in the breast and lymph nodes) and RCB-I were classified as having response and tumors with RCB-II and -III as having no response. Patient age, tumor size, nuclear grade (1/2 vs. 3), mitosis, Nottingham grade, HER2 immunohistochemistry (1/2+ vs. 3+), HER2/CEP17 (chromosome enumeration probe 17) ratio, HER2 copy number, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, Ki-67, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were evaluated and correlated with response. TILs were evaluated for an average and also for the hot spot/total tumor stromal ratio.ResultsSmall tumor size, low estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor expression, HER2 immunohistochemistry 3+, high Ki-67, high HER2/CEP17 ratio, and high HER2 copy number were significantly associated with response (all P < .05). TIL hot spot was associated with RCB in univariate (P < .05) but not multivariate analyses.ConclusionClinicopathologic features may help predict HER2⁺ breast cancer response to neoadjuvant therapy. Larger studies would be useful to confirm these associations, which may have relevance to clinical practice.     

Ki-67与乳腺癌临床病理特征及新辅助化疗疗效的相关性

目的：分析Ki-67与乳腺癌临床病理特征对新辅助化疗（neoadjuvant chemotherapy,NCT）疗效和预后的影响,探讨NCT疗效的预测因素。方法用免疫组化法检测320例局部晚期乳腺癌患者癌组织中ER、PR、HER-2及Ki-67表达状况。进行NCT 4～6个周期后手术。分析临床病理特征与病理完全缓解率（patho-logic complete response,pCR）之间的关系。临床病理参数与疗效分析用χ2检验,影响预后因素用Cox多因素回归分析。结果 Ki-67表达与ER（r=－0.174,P=0.002）和PR（r=－0.132,P=0.019）呈负相关,与HER2（r=0.140, P=0.012）和乳腺肿瘤大小（r=0.132,P=0.019）呈正相关;ER阴性组pCR率显著高于ER阳性组（26.9%vs 7.4%,χ2=22.761,P=0.000）;PR阴性组pCR率显著高于阳性组（22.7%vs 10.9%,χ2=7.950,P=0.005）;Ki-67高表达组pCR率18.0%（41/228）优于Ki-67低表达组8.6%（8/92）（χ2=4.552,P=0.033）;化疗后Ki-67表达下降组pCR率19.8%（48/243）优于未下降组1.3%（1/77）（χ2=15.356,P=0.000）;各分子亚型间化疗疗效差异显著,Luminal A型pCR率为1.4%（1/71）,Luminal B型pCR率为15.3%（25/163）,HER2过表达型pCR率为31.3%（14/45）,三阴性型pCR率为22.0%（9/41）（χ2=20.639,P=0.000）;用Kaplan-Meier法进行生存分析,Ki-67低表达组无病生存时间（DFS）和总生存时间（OS）均优于Ki-67高表达组,两者均为P=0.034。结论 Ki-67高表达患者对化疗更敏感,但预后较差。化疗前Ki-67的表达和化疗后Ki-67变化是影响DFS独立的预后因素。ER、PR、Ki-67指数及分子分型可以作为NCT疗效的预测指标,Ki-67指数与ER、PR、HER2之间存在相关性。     

Roles of Ki67 in Breast Cancer - Important for Management?

Background: The three standard biomarkers used in breast cancer are the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The Ki-67 index, a proliferative marker, has been shown to be associated with a poorer outcome, and despite absence of standardization of pathological assessment, is widely used for therapy decision making. We aim to study the role of the Ki-67 index in a group of Asian women with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 450 women newly diagnosed with Stage 1 to 3 invasive breast cancer in a single centre from July 2013 to Dec 2014 were included in this study. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between Ki-67 (positive defined as 14% and above) and age, ethnicity, grade, mitotic index, ER, PR, HER2, lymph node status and size. All analyses were performed using SPSS Version 22. Results: In univariable analysis, Ki -67 index was associated with younger age, higher grade, ER and PR negativity, HER2 positivity, high mitotic index and positive lymph nodes. However on multivariable analysis only tumour size, grade, PR and HER2 remained significant. Out of 102 stage 1 patients who had ER positive/PR positive/HER2 negative tumours and non-grade 3, only 5 (4.9%) had a positive Ki-67 index and may have been offered chemotherapy. However, it is interesting to note that none of these patients received chemotherapy. Conclusions: Information on Ki67 would have potentially changed management in an insignificant proportion of patients with stage 1 breast cancer.