title: Evaluation of clinical and pathological response after two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on Sudanese patients with locally advanced breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in treating breast cancer has shown efficacy in downstaging primary tumors, and allows breast conservative surgery to be performed instead of mastectomy. This study aims to evaluate patterns of clinical and pathological response after two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective study. Ninety-eight patients who presented from April 2009 through May 2011 with locally advanced breast cancer and treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical response rate was 83%; 11 patients (11.2%) had a complete clinical remission (cCR); 71 had a partial remission (72.4%); 13 had stable disease (13.3%), and 3 had progressive disease (3.1%). Seven patients had complete pathological response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can achieve a high objective response rate in patients with locally advanced breast cancer even after two cycles. We recommend further research to find predictors for response.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Sudan.
authors.forename: Awad Ali M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alawad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013397:Sudan
keywords: Breast cancer; Clinical response; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy