[Impact of the response of primary tumor to preoperative chemotherapy and anti-HER2 therapy on survival of HER2-positive breast cancer patients].
OBJECTIVE
To study the impact of anti-HER2 therapy and response of primary tumor on distant disease free survival (DDFS) of the patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.


METHODS
The clinical data of the patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy were analyzed retrospectively.


RESULTS
Patients treated with preoperative anti-HER2 therapy and chemotherapy had a significant improved pathological complete response (pCR) rate (48.4%) compared with those treated with preoperative chemotherapy (17.2%) (P=0.000). The median follow-up period was 62(6-160) months. The 5-year DDFS in patients with anti-HER2 therapy and patients without anti-HER2 therapy was 93.5% and 83.3% respectively (P=0.006). The 5-year DDFS in patients achieving a pCR and patients not achieving a pCR was 94.7% and 82.6% respectively(P=0.001). Among patients achieving a pCR, anti-HER2 therapy did not improve DDFS significantly (P=0.960). Benefits of anti-HER2 therapy in DDFS among patients without a pCR achieved statistical significance (P=0.028).


CONCLUSIONS
Combination of neoadjuvant anti-HER2 therapy and chemotherapy resulted in a higher pCR rate in HER2-overexpressing primary breast cancer. Patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy who achieved a pCR have excellent outcome regardless of whether they received anti-HER2 therapy.
Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Breast Cancer Prevention & Treatment Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
Z J
ZJ
Wang
Y J
YJ
He
J F
JF
Li
Y T
YT
Xie
T F
TF
Wang
Z Q
ZQ
Fan
T
T
Fan
T
T
Ouyang
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000068878:Trastuzumab
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human