Clinical prognostic and predictive factors for primary chemotherapy in operable breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to identify clinical factors that are of prognostic significance or that predict for subsequent treatment outcome in patients with large operable breast cancer treated with primary chemotherapy (PCT) at our institution.


METHODS
One hundred eighty-five patients received the following regimens: CMF or MMM (76 patients), ECF (75 patients), AC or FEC (34 patients), followed by surgery, with radiotherapy (RT) given to those with breast conservation. A number of common clinical variables were assessed in relation to local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS).


RESULTS
Clinical responders had improved DFS (P = .009) and OS (P = .08) compared with nonresponders. There was no association between clinical or pathologic complete remission (CR) and survival. Pretreatment clinical axillary node positivity was a significant predictor of worsened DFS (P = .0001), OS (P = .0001), and LRFS (P = .03). Patients remaining clinically node-positive postchemotherapy had an inferior outcome compared with those becoming node-negative (DFS, P = .03; OS, P = .03) but pathologic axillary node status was not shown to predict for survival. Twenty-nine patients in clinical CR following PCT who electively did not have surgery and were treated with RT alone had significantly increased local recurrence rate compared with partial responders having surgery and RT (P = .02). There were no differences in DFS or OS between these groups. On multivariate analysis, clinical axillary node status was the only independent predictor of OS and DFS, and LRFS.


CONCLUSIONS
Pretreatment and posttreatment clinical axillary node status is a major predictor of outcome following PCT. Complete clinical response does not define a more favorable subgroup compared with those not obtaining CR.
Ellis
P
P
Breast Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Smith
I
I
Ashley
S
S
Walsh
G
G
Ebbs
S
S
Baum
M
M
Sacks
N
N
McKinna
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D016685:Mitomycin; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate