Evaluating the Effectiveness of Neoadjuvant Therapy in Her2-Positive Invasive Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive Analysis...

Pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant therapy for IBC has shown a strong correlation with event-free survival and overall survival. Over the past three decades, the five-year net survival rate for breast cancer has generally increased; however, several Eastern European countries exhibit lower survival rates. Data from Romania, specifically regarding Her2-positive breast cancer response to therapy, are notably limited. Background/Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate the response to NAT using chemotherapy and Her2-targeted therapy in a cohort of 167 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in our institution. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 167 consecutive cases diagnosed with IBC in our institution between January 2020 and September 2024 with Stages II and III Her2-positive IBC. The overall pCR rates and several factors cited in the literature as predictors of pCR were analyzed. Results: Overall, the pCR rate was 50.29%, with higher values in 3+ cases (62.28%) compared to 2+ cases/ISH amplified (24.53%). Higher pCR rates were observed in hormone-negative cases, Stage II cases, estrogen receptor-negative cases, and high Ki-67 values. Patient age, ISH group, Her2 copy number, Her2:CEP17 ratio, and clinical lymph node involvement did not seem to influence pCR rates in our study. Conclusions: The data presented in our study represent, to the best of our knowledge, the largest cohort of patients diagnosed with Her2-positive IBC from Romania. The presented results and the pCR predictive factors were comparable to those cited in other studies on Her2-positive IBC cases.