“Anemia and Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients”

Abstract

We analyzed the effect of anemia on tumor response of patients with primary invasive breast cancer (BC) receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). The patient collective was very homogenous; finally, 74 BC patients with identical medication and duration of NACT were enrolled. After completion of NACT, 49 patients (66.2%) had a post-NACT Hb level <12 g/dl. In the anemic group, we found a tendency of lower median tumor response compared to nonanemic patients at this time (15 versus 17 mm, retrospectively, p = 0.18). Age at diagnosis significantly correlated with the difference of Hb [before initiation – after completion of NACT] (correlation coefficient = 0.40, p < 0.001).

Keywords:

• Breast cancer
• cancer-related anemia
• neoadjuvant chemotherapy
• tumor response
• age at diagnosis

Disclosure statement

Kristina Tendl-Schulz has received honoraria for lectures or advisory board participation from Roche as well as travel support from Roche, Novartis and Merck Sharp and Dohme GmbH (MSD).

The other authors report no conflict of interest.

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Data availability statement

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.