Predictors of recurrence in breast cancer patients with pathological partial response

Patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy have a relative risk of developing recurrence. This study investigates the risk factors for recurrence in locally advanced breast cancer patients with residual disease and evaluates survival analysis.

This is a retrospective, single-center study. Breast cancer patients who failed to achieve a pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included. Demographic, clinicopathological, and treatment characteristics were evaluated to identify predictive factors of recurrence and survival analysis.

We included 205 patients in this study. After a median of 31 months of follow-up, 10 patients died, and 20 developed distant metastasis. Disease-free survival and disease-specific survival were 73.8% and 83.1%, respectively. Lymphovascular invasion and non-luminal subtype were independent predictors of locoregional recurrence. In situ carcinoma, lymphovascular invasion, ypTIII stage, and non-luminal molecular subtypes were independent predictors of disease-free survival. The only independent factor affecting disease-specific survival was cNII-III. The number of involved lymph nodes was an independent predictor of disease-free survival in patients without complete axillary response.

Factors affecting disease-specific survival and disease-free survival were cNII-III and the number of involved lymph nodes, respectively. Patients with non-luminal, large residual tumors with in situ carcinoma, lymphovascular invasion, clinically positive axilla, and residual nodal involvement have a high relative risk for recurrence and may benefit from additional treatments.