Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of the study: In a new database harbouring the patients of several prospective phase II neoadjuvant trials (fec 50–100, net, tncf, taxotere/tncf, taxotere alone), the predictive value of tumour factors (SBR grade, RH, Her2, Ki-67 and cycline D1) was studied in 466 women with stage II-III operable breast cancer treated between 1991 and 2006.
Patients and methods: Median age of the patients was 48 years [27-76]. Median diameter of the invasive tumour was 40 mm [10-130]. 382 (82%) patients had a canalar, 57 (12.2%) a lobular, 14 (3%) a mixed or invasive carcinoma, 3 (0.6%) neoplasic cells only and 10 (2.2%) another carcinoma. Before chemotherapy, 33% were grade III SBR. The median number of NCT courses was 6 [1-8] followed by a surgery for 98%, a radiotherapy for 93%, an adjuvant chemotherapy (20%) and/or a hormonotherapy (56%).
Results: Overall response rate was 73% (18% complete). The complete pathological response (pCR) rate was 17.2% according to Chevallier's classification. On 455 patients operated, 324 (71%) had a conservative surgery. On 390 patients with an axillary dissection, 195 (50%) had involved nodes (median number: 2 [1-20]). After a median follow-up of 135 months, DFS and actuarial survival at 120 months were 61.9% and 73%, respectively.
After chemotherapy, we found a significant variation for SBR grade ***: there was five fold more patients for whom we observed a down grading of the SBR grade (grade 2/3 to grade 1) than up grading (grade 1 to grade 2/3), p=6.1.10−6. For patients in objective response, we observed a significant decrease of SBR grade (p=1.7.10−3).
Moreover, the variation of SBR grade was also pronostic. Indeed, the disesase-free survival for patients who presented a SBR down grading after chemotherapy was significantly better (p=0.031) compared to patients for whom SBR grade remained stable or was in up grading. There was a tendancy for overall survival (p=0.15).
Conclusion: Down grading of SBR grade appears linked to response and so may constitute a parameter of better prognostic. At the opposite, up grading of SBR grade is an adverse prognostic factor. To conclude, it is interesting to emphasize that SBR grade variations can be assessed when patients are not in pCR, ie plays a complementary role.
Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-14-20.