222
Views
2
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Anticancer Original Research Papers

Relationship between pathological response and molecular subtypes in locally advanced breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy

ORCID Icon, , , , , , , , , & show all
Pages 29-38 | Received 14 Nov 2021, Accepted 13 Feb 2022, Published online: 26 Feb 2022
 

Abstract

Majority of patients with breast cancer were diagnosed with locally advanced stages of the disease (54%). This study aimed to explain the pathological response received to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) according to the molecular classification of breast cancer in patients with locally advanced tumors. One hundred and one patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed. Patients were classified into five molecular subtypes based on the profile of the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2, and Ki-67. We determined associations between complete pathological response (no invasive tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy) and molecular subgroups. Most patients had luminal A tumors (n: 28, 27.7%). The overall rate of complete pathological response (pCR) was 34.7% (n:35). Tumors that presented with the highest rate of pCR were pure HER2-positive, at 60% (n:6; OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 0.8–12.2). According to logistic regression analysis, the factors affecting pCR were HER2 positivity and clinically positive axilla before NACT. Luminal A tumors had a significantly lower pCR rate. (7.1%,p: 0.001). Despite the low pCR rate, Luminal A tumor had the best survival rate in the subgroups (p < 0.001). However, there was no difference between EFS and OS according to pCR in any molecular subgroups. Pathological complete response is directly related to the subtypes of breast cancer. A high complete pathological response rate is observed in the pure HER2-positive group. However, EFS and OS were not statistically significant in patients with and without pCR.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.