title: Primary therapy in breast cancer: what have we learned from landmark trials?
abstract: Primary anticancer therapy is currently accepted as a therapeutic option for patients with early-stage breast cancer. Its objectives are to increase the chance of achieving a conservative surgery and, similar to adjuvant chemotherapy, to reduce the risk of distant recurrence. The prognostic significance of obtaining a pathological complete response has been evaluated in several randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses. Growing evidence suggests that pathological complete response may act as a valid predictor of overall survival. Of note, a significant association between pathological complete response and outcome has especially been observed in patients with HER2-positive and triple-negative (hormonal receptors negative and HER2-negative) breast cancer. This review focuses on recent trials of neoadjuvant treatment with specific attention to HER2-negative disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bozza
authors.forename: Etin-Osa
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Osa
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puglisi
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011379:Prognosis