Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Breast Cancer Patients Who Had a Pathologic Complete Response after Neoadjuvant...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The role of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) in conjunction with surgical intervention is becoming increasingly prominent in the field of oncology. NAT enhance the probability of breast-conserving surgery in cases of locally advanced breast cancer and in patients with metastatic or inoperable disease.

The study included patients who underwent surgery following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer between 2012 and 2022. Their files were retrospectively analyzed. The following parameters were examined and statistically analyzed for patients with and without pathological complete response: age, gender, tumor size, location, stage, pathological type, grade, hormone receptor status, molecular type, and the type of surgery performed.

The study cohort comprised 329 patients who received NAT for breast cancer. Of the patients included in the study, 243 underwent mastectomy and 86 underwent breast-conserving surgery. A postoperative histopathologic examination revealed pathologic complete response (pCR) in 89 patients. The results of the statistical analysis indicated that certain parameters, including high grade, negative hormone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity, Ki-67 ≥30, and early tumor stage, were associated with higher rates of pCR following NAT.

The biomarkers identified in this study, including hormone receptor negativity, anatomical Tumour, Node, Metastasis (TNM) Stages 1-2 tumors, positive HER2 amplification, Ki-67 proliferation ≥30%, luminal B/HER2 (+) and HER2 (+) molecular subtypes, are crucial in predicting the likelihood of a complete response to NAT in breast cancer. The presence of these clinicopathologic biomarkers facilitates the process of therapeutic decision-making by identifying patients who are likely to achieve a complete response.