Prognostic value of triple-negative phenotype at the time of locally recurrent, conservatively treated breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prognostic value of triple-negative (TN) ER, PR, Her2/neu basal-like carcinoma of the breast, at the time of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) after conservative surgery and radiation treatment (RT).


METHODS
A tissue microarray was constructed of 47 IBTR specimens of patients who experienced an IBTR after conservative surgery and RT that were processed and stained for ER, PR, and HER2/neu.


RESULTS
At a median post-recurrence follow-up of 7.5 years, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease metastasis-free survival (DMFS) after IBTR were 91.4% and 83.0%, respectively. Median time to tumor recurrence (TTR) and IBTR was shorter in the TN phenotype (3.88 vs. 5.00 years; p = 0.09). The TN tumors were not associated with size of local recurrence or recurrence elsewhere in the breast. Despite administration of standard chemotherapy at the time of IBTR, the 5-year DMFS and 5-year OS for the TN cohort were 48.6% and 72.7%, respectively. The 5-year DMFS was 48.6% for TN tumors and 90.8% for non-TN tumors (p < 0.01). By univariate analysis, significant factors associated with poor 5-year DMFS and OS after IBTR included: TN phenotype (p < 0.01), TTR 3 years or less (p < 0.01), local recurrence at or near the original tumor site (p = 0.08). In multivariate analysis, TN was a significant independent predictor of poorer 5-year DMFS (relative risk, 5.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.83-19.01; p < 0.01) after IBTR.


CONCLUSIONS
Although patients experiencing an IBTR have a relatively favorable prognosis, those with IBTR events of the TN phenotype had a rather poor prognosis despite receiving standard chemotherapy. Strategies with novel systemic therapies to improve outcomes in patients experiencing IBTR of the TN phenotype are warranted.
Parikh
Rahul R
RR
Department of Radiation Oncology, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Housman
Douglas
D
Yang
Qifeng
Q
Toppmeyer
Deborah
D
Wilson
Lynn D
LD
Haffty
Bruce G
BG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors