[Immunohistochemical phenotype of breast carcinomas predicts the effectiveness of primary systemic therapy]

Assessment of Pathological Response of Breast Carcinoma in Modified Radical Mastectomy Specimens after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Aim. Paclitaxel based neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen (NAT) in the setting of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) can render inoperable tumor (T4, N2/N3) resectable. The aim of this study was to assess the status of carcinoma in the breast and lymph nodes after paclitaxel based NAT in order to find out the patient and the tumor characteristics that correspond to the pathological responses which could be used as a surrogate biomarker to assess the treatment response. Materials and Methods. Clinical and tumor characteristics of patients with breast carcinoma (n = 48) were assessed preoperatively. These patients were subjected to modified radical mastectomy after 3 courses of paclitaxel based NAT regimen. The pathological responses of the tumor in the breast and the lymph nodes were studied by using Chevallier's system which graded the responses into pathological complete response (pCR), pathological partial response (pPR), and pathological no response (pNR). Results. Our studies showed a pCR of 27.1% and a pPR of 70.9% . Clinically small sized tumors (2–5 cms) and Bloom Richardson's grade 1 tumors showed a pCR. Mean age at presentation was 50.58 yrs. 79.2% of cases were invasive ductal carcinoma NOS; only 2.1% were invasive lobular carcinoma, their response to NAT being the same. There was no downgrading of the tumor grades after NAT. Ductal carcinoma in situ and lymphovascular invasion were found to be resistant to chemotherapy. The histopathological changes noted in the lymph nodes were similar to that found in the tumor bed. Discussion and Conclusion. From our study we conclude that histopathological examination of the tumor bed is the gold standard for assessing the chemotherapeutic tumor response. As previous studies have shown pCR can be used as a surrogate biomarker to assess the tumor response.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound characteristics of breast cancer: correlation with prognostic factors

The purpose of the work described here was to investigate the correlation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) characteristics with prognostic factors in breast cancer. Forty-five consecutive breast cancer patients were studied with CEUS. All patients were diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma on the basis of biopsy or surgery results. Lack of blood perfusion of the tumor was identified in 2 cases; blood perfusion was observed in 43 cases. Enhancement was heterogeneous in 25 cases, and centripetal in 25 cases. A blood perfusion defect was present in 27 cases. Enhancement shape was irregular in 37 cases, margins were poorly defined in 34 cases, and penetrating vessels were present in 32 cases. Compared with the surrounding normal tissue, tumor tissue had faster rising times and times to peak and higher peak intensities and wash-in slopes; the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Compared with the interior of the tumor, the periphery had faster times to peak and higher peak intensities and wash-in slopes (p < 0.05). Heterogeneous enhancement, perfusion defect, centripetal enhancement and penetrating vessels were correlated with prognosis (p < 0.05). Overall, some CEUS characteristics of breast cancer were associated with prognostic factors that can predict breast cancer prognosis in vivo.

The potential prognostic value of connexin 26 and 46 expression in neoadjuvant-treated breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Several classification systems are available to assess pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer, but reliable biomarkers to predict the efficiency of primary systemic therapy (PST) are still missing. Deregulation of gap junction channel forming connexins (Cx) has been implicated in carcinogenesis and tumour progression through loss of cell cycle control. In this study we correlated Cx expression and cell proliferation with disease survival and pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancers using existing classification systems.

METHODS

The expression of Cx26, Cx32, Cx43, Cx46 and Ki67 was evaluated in 96 breast cancer patients prior to and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using duplicate cores in tissue microarrays (TMA). Cx plaques of <1μm were detected with multilayer, multichannel fluorescence digital microscopy. Current classifications to assess residual tumour burden after primary systemic therapy included the EWGBSP, CPS-EG, Miller-Payne, Sataloff and NSABP systems.

RESULTS

In our cohort dominated by hormone receptor (ER/PR) positive and HER2 negative cases, only the CPS-EG classification showed prognostic relevance: cases with scores 1-2 had significantly better overall survival (p=0.015) than cases with scores 3-5. Pre-chemotherapy Cx43 expression correlated positively with hormone receptor status both before and after chemotherapy and had a negative correlation with HER2 expression pre-chemotherapy. There was a positive correlation between Cx32 and HER2 expression pre-chemotherapy and between Cx32 and Ki67 expression post-chemotherapy. A negative correlation was found between post-chemotherapy Cx46 and Ki67 expression. Decreased post-chemotherapy Cx26 expression (<5%) statistically correlated with better overall survival (p=0.011). Moderate or higher Cx46 expression (>20%) pre- and post-chemotherapy correlated with significantly better survival in the intermediate prognostic subgroups of EWGBSP TR2b (p(pre-chemo)=0.006; Sataloff TB (p(pre-chemo)=0.005; p(post-chemo)=0.029) and in Miller-Payne G3 (p(pre-chemo)=0.002; p(post-chemo)=0.012) classifications. Pre-chemotherapy, Cx46 expression was the only marker that correlated with overall survival within these subgroups.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that Cx46 and Cx26 expression in breast cancer may improve the assessment of pathological response and refine intermediate prognostic subgroups of residual tumour classifications used after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

The role of FDG-PET-CT in the evaluation of primary systemic therapy in breast cancer: links between metabolic and pathological remission

Introduction: FDG-PET-CT is highly sensitive in detection of viable tumour tissue, giving an importance for that in oncological diagnostics. Aim: The authors analysed retrospectively the relationship between metabolic response and changes in Ki-67, a proliferation marker. Methods: Staging FDG-PET-CT scans (before and after therapy) SUVs (Standardized Uptake Value), and morphological changes in the primary tumour and axillary lymph node region were evaluated in 30 patients with breast cancer. Calculated ΔSUV were compared with Ki-67 proliferation marker (measured in biopsies and surgical specimens). Results: The decrease of SUV and size were significant in the primary tumour and the axillary lymph node region. Decrease of Ki-67 was significant. Significant correlation was found between Ki-67 and SUV before therapy, initial Ki-67 and ΔSUV, and ΔKi-67 and ΔSUV. Conclusions: The metabolic changes were more sensitive in the measurement of the therapeutic response than morphological remission, and they correlated well with the pathological response, in not standardized clinical conditions even. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1958–1964.

[Comparison of breast cancer in young and old women based on clinicopathological features]

The two far ends of the age at the diagnosis of breast cancer are the age of younger than 35, and that of older than 70. Most probably, these two groups of patients differ in many ways. The aim of our present study was to underline the fact that age at the diagnosis of breast cancer is indeed a prognostic factor. Between October 1995 and March 2009, 80 old and 51 young breast cancer patients were treated at the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Oncotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest. The prognostic and predictive factors of the tumors were analysed together with the disease-free and overall survival data. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups concerning the menstrual and reproductive factors, histological characteristics and immunophenotype of the tumors. Tumor size, nodal status and the Nottingham Prognostic Index did not show statistically significant differences. A trend to a shorter disease-free survival, higher rate of distant metastases and disease-specific death was seen in the group of young patients, but it was not significant. Overall survival was significantly shorter in the group of young patients. Therefore, we can state that young patients have a more aggressive disease and worse outcome. There is an increased importance of self examination in these groups, since both age groups are beyond the age limits of the screening population in Hungary. The media and primary school education as well should be involved in educating women concerning this aspect. The individual follow-up of young patients with positive family history should also be established.

Adjuvant systemic therapy of early stage breast cancer

Az adjuváns gyógyszeres terápia sikeres alkalmazásával elsősorban a távoli metasztázisok kialakulásának esélye csökkenthető, a diagnózis idején fennálló mikrometasztázisok megszüntetése révén. Célkitűzés: A korai emlőrák posztoperatív szisztémás gyógyszeres kezelési lehetőségeinek áttekintése. Módszer: A szerző az irodalmi adatok és saját tapasztalata alapján összefoglalja a korai emlőrák műtéti megoldását követő szisztémás terápia legfontosabb szempontjait. Eredmények: Az adjuváns kezelés során citotoxikus kezelés, hormonterápia és HER2 receptort célzó biológiai terápia, illetve ezek kombinációja kerül alkalmazásra. Az endokrin kezelésben fontos szerepe van a tamoxifenterápiának, amelyet mind a premenopauzális, mind a posztmenopauzális emlőrák kezelésében alkalmaznak. Premenopauzában az elfogadott standard hormonterápiát az LH-RH analóggal végzett petefészek-szuppresszió és/vagy tamoxifenkezelés képezi. Posztmenopauzában az adjuváns endokrin kezelésben ma már a harmadik generációs aromatázgátlók is szerepet kapnak, bár még nem tisztázott, hogy az iniciális, a szekvenciális vagy a meghosszabbított terápia jelenti-e az optimális stratégiát. Az adjuváns polikemoterápia elsősorban a nyirokcsomóáttétes esetekben kerül alkalmazásra, emellett a magas rizikójú nyirokcsomó-negatív betegek posztoperatív kezelésében is egyre gyakrabban alkalmazzák. Az alkilálók és antraciklinek mellett a taxánok (docetaxel és paclitaxel) bevezetése komoly előrehaladást hozott az adjuváns kemoterápiában. Ma már biológiai célzott terápia, a trastuzumabterápia is fontos részét képezi a műtét utáni kezelésnek, amelynek időtartama a jelenlegi szakmai ajánlások alapján egy év. Következtetések: Az elmúlt években bevezetett taxántartalmú kemoterápiák, a posztmenopauzális emlőrákban alkalmazott harmadik generációs aromatázgátlók és az adjuváns trastuzumab alkalmazása mind lényegesen hozzájárulnak a korai emlőrákban szenvedő betegek gyógyulási esélyeihez.