title: Circulating Tumor Cells After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage I-III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by a lack of estrogen and progesterone receptor expression and HER-2 gene amplification. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be identified in 25 % of nonmetastatic breast cancer patients, and the identification of ≥1 CTC predicts outcome. This study was designed to determine whether CTCs present after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) predicted worse outcome in nonmetastatic TNBC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  CTCs were assessed in 57 TNBC patients with nonmetastatic TNBC after the completion of NACT. CTCs (per 7.5 ml blood) were identified using the Cell Search(®) System (Janssen). Log-rank test and Cox regression analysis were applied to establish the association of CTCs with relapse-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median follow-up was 30 months, and mean age was 53 years. Fifty-four patients (95 %) had >2-cm tumors, 42 (84 %) were nuclear grade 3, and 42 (74 %) had positive axillary lymph nodes. One or more CTC was identified in 30 % of patients. CTC presence was not associated with primary tumor size, high grade, or lymph node positivity. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that detection of ≥1 CTC predicted decreased RFS (log-rank P = 0.03, HR 5.25, 95 % CI 1.34-20.56) and OS (log-rank P = 0.03, HR 7.04, 95 % CI 1.26-39.35).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One or more CTCs present after NACT predicted relapse and survival in nonmetastatic TNBC patients. This information would be helpful in future clinical trial design of adjuvant treatments for TNBC patients who are at risk for relapse after completing NACT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Unit 444, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Unit 444, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Mandar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karhade
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Unit 444, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laubacher
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Unit 444, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Unit 444, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuerer
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Unit 444, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: DeSynder
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Unit 444, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. alucci@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucci
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor