title: Clinical and pathological features of breast cancer associated with the pathological complete response to anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with breast cancer with a pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) have a better prognosis than patients with residual disease. The aim of the current study was to identify predictors of pCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 388 patients treated with anthracycline-based NAC. Clinicopathological parameters were compared between the patients with and without pCR in breast and axilla.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment consisted of FAC/FEC in 230 patients (59%), TAC in 39 (10%) patients and AC followed by docetaxel in 119 (31%). In all, 36 (9.3%) patients had pCR. In univariate analysis, age, tumor size, lymph node involvement, tumor grade (p = 0.077, n = 265), ER and HER-2 status (n = 213), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), type of chemotherapy and taxane-containing chemotherapy were associated with pCR. In multivariate analysis, ER negativity (p = 0.003), the absence of LVI (p = 0.009) and taxane-containing NAC (p = 0.026) were found to be significant indicators of pCR. Median follow-up time was 69 months. Progression-free survival was significantly improved in patients achieving pCR (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pCR is associated with a better outcome regardless of clinical and pathological parameters in breast cancer patients who receive NAC. The probability of pCR was higher in ER-negative, LVI-negative tumors and in patients treated with sequential taxane-containing chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey. drkeskin76@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keskin
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muslumanoglu
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saip
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karanlık
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guveli
authors.forename: Esmehan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pehlivan
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aydoğan
authors.forename: Yesim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eralp
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aydıner
authors.forename: Ekrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: Vahit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ozmen
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Igci
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Topuz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines