title: Adjuvant chemotherapy of pT1a and pT1b breast carcinoma: results from the NEMESI study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prognosis of pT1a-pT1b breast cancer (BC) used to be considered very good, with a 10-y RFS of 90%. However, some retrospective studies reported a 10-y RFS of 81%-86% and suggested benefit from adjuvant systemic therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate the variables that determined the choice of adjuvant chemotherapy and the type of chemotherapy delivered in pT1a-pT1b BC, we analysed the small tumours enrolled in the NEMESI study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 1,894 patients with pathological stage I-II BC enrolled in NEMESI, 402 (21.2%) were pT1a-pT1b. Adjuvant chemotherapy was delivered in 127/402 (31.59%). Younger age, grading G3, high proliferative index, ER-negative and HER2-positive status were significantly associated with the decision to administer adjuvant chemotherapy. An anthracycline without taxane regimen was administered in 59.1% of patients, anthracycline with taxane in 24.4%, a CMF-like regimen in 14.2% and taxane in 2.4%. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 88.4% triple-negative and 73.46% HER2-positive pT1a-pT1b BC. Adjuvant trastuzumab was delivered in 30/49 HER2-positive BC (61.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adjuvant chemotherapy was delivered in 31.59% T1a-pT1b BC treated at 63 Italian oncological centres from January 2008 to June 2008. The choice to deliver chemotherapy was based on biological prognostic factors. Anthracycline-based chemotherapy was administered in 83.5% patients.
authors.affiliation: Oncologia Medica, Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia, Azienda Ospedaliera di Perugia, Perugia, Italy. stefania.gori@tin.it
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gori
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clavarezza
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siena
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foglietta
authors.forename: Emiliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tarenzi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molino
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Graiff
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alabiso
authors.forename: Editta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gamucci
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altavilla
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dondi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venturini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen