Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Type 2-Positive Breast Cancer: Association of MRI and Clinicopathologic Features With Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes

Relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This retrospective study was approved by an institutional review board and included 76 women (median age: 60) with 76 surgically proven breast cancers who underwent DCE MRI including ultrafast sequence. Based on the TILs level, we classified the patients into the low-TILs (< 10%) group and the high-TILs (≥ 10%) group. Maximum slope (MS) and time to enhancement (TTE) derived from ultrafast DCE sequence were correlated in each TILs group. The percentages of six kinetic patterns (fast, medium, and slow from the early phase, washout, plateau, and persistent from the delayed phase) derived from the conventional DCE sequence were also correlated in each TILs group.

RESULTS

Of the 76 breast cancers, 57 were in the low-TILs group and 19 comprised the high-TILs group. The median MS in the high-TILs group (32.4%/sec) was significantly higher than that in the low-TILs group (23.68%/s) (p = 0.037). In a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for differentiating between the high- and low-TILs group was 0.661. The TTE in the high-TILs group was significantly shorter than that in the low-TILs group (p = 0.012). In the ROC analysis, the AUC was 0.685. There were no significant differences between the percentages of the six kinetic patterns from the conventional DCE sequence and the TILs level (p = 0.075-0.876).

CONCLUSION

Compared to the low-TILs group, the high-TILs group had higher MS and shorter TTE.

Association of clinicopathologic and sonographic features with stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Increased level of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) are associated with therapeutic outcomes and prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This study aimed to investigate the associations of clinicopathologic and sonographic features with sTILs level in TNBC.

METHODS

This study included invasive TNBC patients with postoperative evaluation of sTILs after surgical resection. Tumor shape, margin, orientation, echo pattern, posterior features, calcification, and vascularity were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were categorized into high-sTILs (≥ 20%) and low-sTILs (< 20%) level groups. Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used to assess the association of clinicopathologic and sonographic features with sTILs level.

RESULTS

The 171 patients (mean ± SD age, 54.7 ± 10.3 years [range, 22‒87 years]) included 58.5% (100/171) with low-sTILs level and 41.5% (71/171) with high-sTILs level. The TNBC tumors with high-sTILs level were more likely to be no special type invasive carcinoma (p = 0.008), higher histologic grade (p = 0.029), higher Ki-67 proliferation rate (all p < 0.05), and lower frequency of associated DCIS component (p = 0.026). In addition, the TNBC tumors with high-sTILs level were more likely to be an oval or round shape (p = 0.001), parallel orientation (p = 0.011), circumscribed or micro-lobulated margins (p < 0.001), complex cystic and solid echo patterns (p = 0.001), posterior enhancement (p = 0.002), and less likely to have a heterogeneous pattern (p = 0.001) and no posterior features (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary study showed that preoperative sonographic characteristics could be helpful in distinguishing high-sTILs from low-sTILs in TNBC patients.

Diffusion-weighted imaging in addition to contrast-enhanced MRI in identifying complete response in HER2-positive breast cancer

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to investigate the added value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to dynamic-contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI to identify a pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer and radiological complete response (rCR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a single-center observational study of 102 patients with stage I-III HER2-positive breast cancer and real-world documented rCR on DCE-MRI. Patients were treated between 2015 and 2019. Both 1.5 T/3.0 T single-shot diffusion-weighted echo-planar sequence were used. Post neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) diffusion-weighted images were reviewed by two readers for visual evaluation and ADCmean. Discordant cases were resolved in a consensus meeting. pCR of the breast (ypT0/is) was used to calculate the negative predictive value (NPV). Breast pCR-percentages were tested with Fisher's exact test. ADCmean and ∆ADCmean(%) for patients with and without pCR were compared using a Mann-Whitney U-test.

RESULTS

The NPV for DWI added to DCE is 86% compared to 87% for DCE alone in hormone receptor (HR)-/HER2-positive and 67% compared to 64% in HR-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer. Twenty-seven of 39 non-rCR DWI cases were false positives. In HR-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer the NPV for DCE MRI differs between MRI field strength (1.5 T: 50% vs. 3 T: 81% [p = 0.02]). ADCmean at baseline, post-NST, and ∆ADCmean were similar between patients with and without pCR.

CONCLUSION

DWI has no clinically relevant effect on the NPV of DCE alone to identify a pCR in early HER2-positive breast cancer. The added value of DWI in HR-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer should be further investigated taken MRI field strength into account.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

The residual signal on DWI after neoadjuvant systemic therapy in cases with early HER2-positive breast cancer and no residual pathologic enhancement on DCE-MRI breast should not (yet) be considered in assessing a complete radiologic response.

KEY POINTS

Radiologic complete response is associated with a pathologic complete response (pCR) in HER2+ breast cancer but further improvement is warranted. No relevant increase in negative predictive value was observed when DWI was added to DCE. Residual signal on DW-images without pathologic enhancement on DCE-MRI, does not indicate a lower chance of pCR.

Exploring habitats-based spatial distributions: improving predictions of lymphovascular invasion in invasive breast cancer

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Accurate assessment of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in invasive breast cancer (IBC) plays a pivotal role in tailoring personalized treatment plans. This study aimed to investigate habitats-based spatial distributions to quantitatively measure tumor heterogeneity on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and assess their predictive capability for LVI in patients with IBC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, we consecutively enrolled 241 women diagnosed with IBC between July 2020 and July 2023 and who had 1.5 T/T1-weighted images, fat-suppressed T2-weighted images, and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Habitats-based spatial distributions were derived from the gross tumor volume (GTV) and gross tumor volume plus peritumoral volume (GPTV). GTV_habitats and GPTV_habitats were generated through sub-region segmentation, and their performances were compared. Subsequently, a combined nomogram was developed by integrating relevant spatial distributions with the identified MR morphological characteristics. Diagnostic performance was compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and decision curve analysis. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

GPTV_habitats exhibited superior performance compared to GTV_habitats. Consequently, the GPTV_habitats, diffusion-weighted imaging rim signs, and peritumoral edema were integrated to formulate the combined nomogram. This combined nomogram outperformed individual MR morphological characteristics and the GPTV_habitats index, achieving area under the curve values of 0.903 (0.847 -0.959), 0.770 (0.689 -0.852), and 0.843 (0.776 -0.910) in the training set and 0.931 (0.863 -0.999), 0.747 (0.613 -0.880), and 0.849 (0.759 -0.938) in the validation set.

CONCLUSION

The combined nomogram incorporating the GPTV_habitats and identified MR morphological characteristics can effectively predict LVI in patients with IBC.

Could breast multiparametric MRI discriminate between pure ductal carcinoma in situ and microinvasive carcinoma?

BACKGROUND

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is often reclassified as invasive cancer in the final pathology report of the surgical specimen. It is of significant clinical relevance to acknowledge the possibility of underestimating invasive disease when utilizing preoperative biopsies for a DCIS diagnosis. In cases where such histologic upgrades occur, it is imperative to consider them in the preoperative planning process, including the potential inclusion of sentinel lymph node biopsy due to the risk of axillary lymph node metastasis.

PURPOSE

To assess the capability of breast multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MP-MRI) in differentiating between pure DCIS and microinvasive carcinoma (MIC).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Between January 2018 and November 2022, this retrospective study enrolled patients with biopsy-proven DCIS who had undergone preoperative breast MP-MRI. We assessed various MP-MRI features, including size, morphology, margins, internal enhancement pattern, extent of disease, presence of peritumoral edema, time-intensity curve value, diffusion restriction, and ADC value. Subsequently, a logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the association of these features with the pathological outcome.

RESULTS

Of 129 patients with biopsy-proven DCIS, 36 had foci of micro-infiltration on surgical specimens and eight were diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). The presence of micro-infiltration foci was significantly associated with several MP-MRI features, including tumor size (P <0.001), clustered ring enhancement (P <0.001), segmental distribution (P <0.001), diffusion restriction (P = 0.005), and ADC values <1.3 × 10-3 mm2/s (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Breast MP-MRI has the potential to predict the presence of micro-infiltration foci in biopsy-proven DCIS and may serve as a valuable tool for guiding therapeutic planning.

Prognostic Value of MRI Assessment of Residual Peritumoral Edema in Breast Cancer Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Peritumoral edema (PE) identified on T2-weighted breast MRI is a factor for poor prognosis in breast cancer.

PURPOSE

To assess the prognostic value of residual PE (rPE) in patients with PE positive breast cancer prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) who subsequently underwent curative surgery.

STUDY TYPE

Retrospective.

POPULATION

In total, 128 patients with nonmetastatic invasive breast cancer who underwent breast MRI before and after NACT.

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE

Axial precontrast 2D fast spin echo T2W fat-suppressed sequence. Axial dynamic 3D gradient echo T1W fat-suppressed sequence.

ASSESSMENT

PE was diagnosed when a signal intensity as high as water was detected surrounding the tumor on a T2-weighted breast MRI. PE was qualitatively evaluated by three readers with more than 20 years of experience in interpreting breast field imaging findings. Residual cancer burden (RCB) were assessed post-NACT. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated as the endpoints of this study.

STATISTICAL TESTS

Chi-square test; Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazard model. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Pre-PE was observed in 64 out of 128 patients. Of these, rPE was observed in 21. In the log-rank test, breast cancer with rPE had significantly worse RFS and OS than that without rPE. Cox proportional hazard analysis identified rPE as a significant prognostic factor for recurrence (hazard ratio, 11.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.05-43.8) and death (hazard ratio, 17.8; 95% CI, 3.30-96.3). Breast cancer with rPE had significant worse RFS and OS than that without rPE in RCB class II, and significant worse OS in pathological complete response, class I and class II in the log-rank test.

DATA CONCLUSION

rPE on a T2-weighted breast MRI was a significant factor for breast cancer recurrence and death in patients with pre-PE-positive breast cancer treated with NACT.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3

TECHNICAL EFFICACY

Stage 2.

Delta-Radiomics Based on Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI for Predicting Lymphovascular Invasion in Invasive Breast Cancer

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Treatment strategies for invasive breast cancer require accurate lymphovascular invasion (LVI) predictions. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of delta radiomics based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for assessing LVI and develop a nomogram to aid treatment decisions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Overall, 293 patients with resectable invasive breast cancer underwent preoperative DCE-MRI. Radiomic features were extracted from pre-contrast (A0), first post-contrast (A1), and subtracted images of A0 and A1. Three radiomics models were developed using several data analyses; logistic analyses were performed to identify radiological features to predict the LVI status. A hybrid model integrating both radiological features and optimal radiomics was developed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was employed to evaluate model performance, using the area under the curve (AUC) as a quantitative metric for discriminative ability.

RESULTS

In the test set, the Radiomics-Delta model, with 17 radiomic features, had an AUC of 0.781 and accuracy of 0.705. Radiomics-A0, with 10 features, had an AUC of 0.619 and accuracy of 0.523, while Radiomics-A1, with 8 features, had an AUC of 0.715 and accuracy of 0.591. The hybrid model exhibited better performance, with an AUC of 0.868 and accuracy of 0.875, than the radiological and Radiomics-Delta models, with an AUC of 0.759 and 0.781, respectively, and accuracy of 0.773 and 0.705, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Compared to Radiomics-A0 and Radiomics-A1, Radiomics-Delta demonstrated superior performance. Moreover, the hybrid model incorporating Radiomics-Delta and radiological features exhibited excellent performance in determining the LVI status in cases of invasive breast cancer.

Identification and validation of DHCR7 as a diagnostic biomarker involved in the proliferation and mitochondrial function of breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Energy metabolism has a complex intersection with pathogenesis and development of breast cancer (BC). This allows for the possibility of identifying energy-metabolism-related genes (EMRGs) as novel prognostic biomarkers for BC. 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) is a key enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis involved in many cancers, and in this paper, we investigate the effects of DHCR7 on the proliferation and mitochondrial function of BC.

METHODS

EMRGs were identified from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and MSigDB databases using bioinformatics methods. Key EMRGs of BC were then identified and validated by functional enrichment analysis, interaction analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, Cox analysis, and immune infiltration. Western blot, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), MTT assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry assay were then used to analyze DHCR7 expression and its biological effects on BC cells.

RESULTS

We identified 31 EMRGs in BC. These 31 EMRGs and related transcription factors (TFs), miRNAs, and drugs were enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycoprotein metabolic process, breast cancer, and cell cycle. Crucially, DHCR7 was a key EMRG in BC identified and validated by WGCNA, LASSO regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. High DHCR7 expression was significantly associated with tumor immune infiltration level, pathological M, and poor prognosis in BC. In addition, DHCR7 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and affected mitochondrial function in BC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

DHCR7 was found to be a key EMRG up-regulated in BC cells. This study is the first to our knowledge to report that DHCR7 acts as an oncogene in BC, which might become a novel therapeutic target for BC patients.

High Peritumoral and Intratumoral T2 Signal Intensity in HER2-Positive Breast Cancers on Preneoadjuvant Breast MRI: Assessment of Associations With Histopathologic Characteristics

BACKGROUND. Intratumoral necrosis and peritumoral edema are features of aggressive breast cancer that may present as high T2 signal intensity (T2 SI). Implications of high T2 SI in HER2-positive cancers are unclear. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess associations with histopathologic characteristics of high peritumoral T2 SI and intratumoral T2 SI of HER2-positive breast cancer on MRI performed before initiation of neoadjuvant therapy. METHODS. This retrospective study included 210 patients (age, 24-82 years) with 211 HER2 breast cancers who, from January 1, 2015, to July 30, 2022, underwent breast MRI before receiving neoadjuvant therapy. Two radiologists independently assessed cancers for high peritumoral T2 SI and high intratumoral T2 SI on fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging and classified patterns of high peritumoral T2 SI (adjacent to tumor vs prepectoral extension). A third radiologist resolved discrepancies. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify associations of high peritumoral and intratumoral T2 SI with histopathologic characteristics (associated ductal carcinoma in situ, hormone receptor status, histologic grade, lymphovascular invasion, and axillary lymph node metastasis). RESULTS. Of 211 HER2-positive cancers, 81 (38.4%) had high peritumoral T2 SI, and 95 (45.0%) had high intratumoral T2 SI. A histologic grade of 3 was independently associated with high peritumoral T2 SI (OR = 1.90; p = .04). Otherwise, none of the five assessed histopathologic characteristics were independently associated with high intratumoral T2 SI or high peritumoral T2 SI (p > .05). Cancers with high T2 SI adjacent to the tumor (n = 29) and cancers with high T2 SI with prepectoral extension (n = 52) showed no significant difference in frequency for any of the histopathologic characteristics (p > .05). Sensitivities and specificities for predicting the histopathologic characteristics ranged from 35.6% to 43.7% and from 59.7% to 70.7%, respectively, for high peritumoral T2 SI, and from 37.3% to 49.6% and from 49.3% to 62.7%, respectively, for high intratumoral T2 SI. Interreader agreement was almost perfect for high peritumoral T2 SI (Gwet agreement coefficient [AC] = 0.93), high intratumoral T2 SI (Gwet AC = 0.89), and a pattern of high peritumoral T2 SI (Gwet AC = 0.95). CONCLUSION. The only independent association between histopathologic characteristics and high T2 SI of HER2-positive breast cancer was observed between a histologic grade of 3 and high peritumoral T2 SI. CLINICAL IMPACT. In contrast with previously reported findings in broader breast cancer subtypes, peritumoral and intratumoral T2 SI had overall limited utility as prognostic markers of HER2-positive breast cancer.

Immune checkpoint ligands expressed on mature high endothelial venules predict poor prognosis of NSCLC: have a relationship with CD8+ T lymphocytes infiltration

Background

An insufficient number of intratumoral CD8+ T lymphocytes is a major barrier to antitumor immunity and immunotherapy. High endothelial venules (HEVs) are the major sites through which lymphocytes enter tumors; however, the molecular mechanism through which HEVs mediate CD8+ T lymphocyte infiltration remains poorly understood.

Methods

Forty-two patients with stage IIIA lung adenocarcinoma, who underwent surgery, were recruited. Multiplex immunohistochemical staining was conducted on tumor tissues to detect the immune checkpoint ligands (ICLs) expressed in the HEVs, blood vessels, and lymphatics. A new ICL score model was constructed to evaluate ligand expression. The relationship between ICL score, tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cell frequency, and survival of patients was investigated.

Results

Mature HEVs, but not blood vessels or lymphatics, mediated CD8+ T cell infiltration. However, the ICLs expressed on mature HEVs could negatively regulate CD8+ T cell entry into tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs). In addition, according to the results obtained using our ICLtotal score model, the expression of ICLs on HEVs was observed to be a predictor of both CD8+ T cell infiltration and survival, in which a high ICLtotal score > 1 represent a weak CD8+ T cell infiltration and a high ICLtotal score > 2 predicts poor survival.

Conclusion

Using the ICL score model, we discovered that ICLs expressed on HEVs are indicative of CD8+ T cell subset infiltration in TLSs, as well as of patient survival with lung cancer.

Leveraging multimodal MRI-based radiomics analysis with diverse machine learning models to evaluate lymphovascular invasion in clinically node-negative breast cancer

Objective

This study aimed to investigate and validate the effectiveness of diverse radiomics models for preoperatively differentiating lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in clinically node-negative breast cancer (BC).

Methods

This study included 198 patients diagnosed with clinically node-negative bc and pathologically confirmed LVI status from January 2018-July 2023. The training dataset consisted of 138 patients, while the validation dataset included 60. Radiomics features were extracted from multimodal magnetic resonance imaging obtained from T1WI, T2WI, DCE, DWI, and ADC sequences. Dimensionality reduction and feature selection techniques were applied to the extracted features. Subsequently, machine learning approaches, including logistic regression, support vector machine, classification and regression trees, k-nearest neighbors, and gradient boosting machine models (GBM), were constructed using the radiomics features. The best-performing radiomic model was selected based on its performance using the confusion matrix. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify variables for developing a clinical-radiological (Clin-Rad) model. Finally, a combined model incorporating both radiomics and clinical-radiological model features was created.

Results

A total of 6195 radiomic features were extracted from multimodal magnetic resonance imaging. After applying dimensionality reduction and feature selection, seven valuable radiomics features were identified. Among the radiomics models, the GBM model demonstrated superior predictive efficiency and robustness, achieving area under the curve values (AUC) of 0.881 (0.823,0.940) and 0.820 (0.693,0.947) in the training and validation datasets, respectively. The Clin-Rad model was developed based on the peritumoral edema and DWI rim sign. In the training dataset, it achieved an AUC of 0.767 (0.681, 0.854), while in the validation dataset, it achieved an AUC of 0.734 (0.555-0.913). The combined model, which incorporated radiomics and the Clin-Rad model, showed the highest discriminatory capability. In the training dataset, it had an AUC value of 0.936 (0.892, 0.981), and in the validation dataset, it had an AUC value of 0.876 (0.757, 0.995). Additionally, decision curve analysis of the combined model revealed its optimal clinical efficacy.

Conclusion

The combined model, integrating radiomics and clinical-radiological features, exhibited excellent performance in distinguishing LVI status. This non-invasive and efficient approach holds promise for aiding clinical decision-making in the context of clinically node-negative BC.

A simple and convenient model combining multiparametric MRI and clinical features to predict tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer

AIM

To develop a simple and convenient method based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical features to non-invasively predict tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer (BC) and to explore the relationship between TIL levels and disease-free survival (DFS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 172 BC patients were enrolled between November 2017 and June 2021 in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into high (≥10%) and low (<10%) TIL groups. Clinicopathological data were collected. MRI features were reviewed by two radiologists. Predictors associated with TILs were determined by using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Kaplan-Meier survival curves based on TIL levels were used to estimate DFS.

RESULTS

A total of 102 patients with low TILs and 70 patients with high TILs were included in the study. Tumour size (odds ratio [OR], 1.040; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.006, 1.075; p=0.020), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC; OR, 1.003; 95% CI: 1.001, 1.005; p=0.015), clinical axillary lymph node status (CALNS; OR, 3.222; 95% CI: 1.372,7.568; p=0.007), and enhancement pattern (OR, 0.284; 95% CI: 0.143, 0.563; p<0.001) were independently associated with TIL levels. These features were used in the ALSE model (where A is ADC, L is CALNS, S is size, and E is enhancement pattern). High TILs were associated with better DFS (p=0.016).

CONCLUSION

The ALSE model derived from multiparametric MRI and clinical features could non-invasively predict TIL levels in BC, and high TILs were associated with longer DFS, especially in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive BC and triple-negative BC (TNBC).

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features Associated with a High and Low Expression of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes: A Stratified Analysis According to Molecular Subtypes

A total of 457 patients, including 241 HR+/HER2- patients, 134 HER2+ patients, and 82 TN patients, were studied. The percentage of TILs in the stroma adjacent to the tumor cells was assessed using a 10% cutoff. The low TIL percentages were 82% in the HR+ patients, 63% in the HER2+ patients, and 56% in the TN patients (p < 0.001). MRI features such as morphology as mass or non-mass enhancement (NME), shape, margin, internal enhancement, presence of peritumoral edema, and the DCE kinetic pattern were assessed. Tumor sizes were smaller in the HR+/HER2- group (p < 0.001); HER2+ was more likely to present as NME (p = 0.031); homogeneous enhancement was mostly seen in HR+ (p < 0.001); and the peritumoral edema was present in 45% HR+, 71% HER2+, and 80% TN (p < 0.001). In each subtype, the MR features between the high- vs. low-TIL groups were compared. In HR+/HER2-, peritumoral edema was more likely to be present in those with high TILs (70%) than in those with low TILs (40%, p < 0.001). In TN, those with high TILs were more likely to present a regular shape (33%) than those with low TILs (13%, p = 0.029) and more likely to present the circumscribed margin (19%) than those with low TILs (2%, p = 0.009).

Exploring the added value of pretherapeutic MR descriptors in predicting breast cancer pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between pretreatment MRI descriptors and breast cancer (BC) pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with BC treated by NAC with a breast MRI between 2016 and 2020 were included in this retrospective observational single-center study. MR studies were described using the standardized BI-RADS and breast edema score on T2-weighted MRI. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess variables association with pCR according to residual cancer burden. Random forest classifiers were trained to predict pCR on a random split including 70% of the database and were validated on the remaining cases.

RESULTS

Among 129 BC, 59 (46%) achieved pCR after NAC (luminal (n = 7/37, 19%), triple negative (n = 30/55, 55%), HER2 + (n = 22/37, 59%)). Clinical and biological items associated with pCR were BC subtype (p < 0.001), T stage 0/I/II (p = 0.008), higher Ki67 (p = 0.005), and higher tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes levels (p = 0.016). Univariate analysis showed that the following MRI features, oval or round shape (p = 0.047), unifocality (p = 0.026), non-spiculated margins (p = 0.018), no associated non-mass enhancement (p = 0.024), and a lower MRI size (p = 0.031), were significantly associated with pCR. Unifocality and non-spiculated margins remained independently associated with pCR at multivariable analysis. Adding significant MRI features to clinicobiological variables in random forest classifiers significantly increased sensitivity (0.67 versus 0.62), specificity (0.69 versus 0.67), and precision (0.71 versus 0.67) for pCR prediction.

CONCLUSION

Non-spiculated margins and unifocality are independently associated with pCR and can increase models performance to predict BC response to NAC.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

A multimodal approach integrating pretreatment MRI features with clinicobiological predictors, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, could be employed to develop machine learning models for identifying patients at risk of non-response. This may enable consideration of alternative therapeutic strategies to optimize treatment outcomes.

KEY POINTS

• Unifocality and non-spiculated margins are independently associated with pCR at multivariable logistic regression analysis. • Breast edema score is associated with MR tumor size and TIL expression, not only in TN BC as previously reported, but also in luminal BC. • Adding significant MRI features to clinicobiological variables in machine learning classifiers significantly increased sensitivity, specificity, and precision for pCR prediction.

Evaluation of Breast Cancer Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes on Ultrasound Images Based on a Novel Multi-Cascade Residual U-Shaped Network

OBJECTIVE

Breast cancer has become the leading cancer of the 21st century. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have emerged as effective biomarkers for predicting treatment response and prognosis in breast cancer. The work described here was aimed at designing a novel deep learning network to assess the levels of TILs in breast ultrasound images.

METHODS

We propose the Multi-Cascade Residual U-Shaped Network (MCRUNet), which incorporates a gray feature enhancement (GFE) module for image reconstruction and normalization to achieve data synergy. Additionally, multiple residual U-shaped (RSU) modules are cascaded as the backbone network to maximize the fusion of global and local features, with a focus on the tumor's location and surrounding regions. The development of MCRUNet is based on data from two hospitals and uses a publicly available ultrasound data set for transfer learning.

RESULTS

MCRUNet exhibits excellent performance in assessing TILs levels, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.8931, an accuracy of 85.71%, a sensitivity of 83.33%, a specificity of 88.64% and an F1 score of 86.54% in the test group. It outperforms six state-of-the-art networks in terms of performance.

CONCLUSION

The MCRUNet network based on breast ultrasound images of breast cancer patients holds promise for non-invasively predicting TILs levels and aiding personalized treatment decisions.

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and radiological picture of the tumor

Tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex entity that includes besides the tumor cells also a whole range of immune cells. Among various populations of immune cells infiltrating the tumor, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a population of lymphocytes characterized by high reactivity against the tumor component. As, TILs play a key role in mediating responses to several types of therapy and significantly improve patient outcomes in some cancer types including for instance breast cancer and lung cancer, their assessment has become a good predictive tool in the evaluation of potential treatment efficacy. Currently, the evaluation of the density of TILs infiltration is performed by histopathological. However, recent studies have shed light on potential utility of several imaging methods, including ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), and radiomics, in the assessment of TILs levels. The greatest attention concerning the utility of radiology methods is directed to breast and lung cancers, nevertheless imaging methods of TILs are constantly being developed also for other malignancies. Here, we focus on reviewing the radiological methods used to assess the level of TILs in different cancer types and on the extraction of the most favorable radiological features assessed by each method.

Evaluating Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Breast Cancer: The Role of Conventional Ultrasound and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

OBJECTIVES

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have emerged as an efficient biomarker predicting treatment response and prognosis of breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to evaluate the association between conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging features with TIL levels in invasive BC patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively included 267 women with invasive BC who had undergone conventional ultrasound and CEUS. Patients were divided into low (≤10%) and high (>10%) TIL groups. Conventional ultrasound and CEUS features were analyzed by two sonographers. The associations between the TIL levels and imaging features were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 267 patients, 122 with high TILs and 145 with low TIL levels. High TIL tumors were more likely to have a circumscribed margin, oval or round shape, and enhanced posterior echoes on ultrasonography (p < 0.05). In contrast, low TIL tumors were more likely to have an irregular shape, un-circumscribed, indistinct and spiculated margin (p < 0.05). In CEUS, high TIL tumors showed a more regular shape, clearer margin, more homogeneous enhancement and higher peak intensity (PI) value (p < 0.05). Logistic analysis indicated that shape, posterior features, PI, and enhanced homogeneity were independent predictors for high TIL tumors. The model combined the four independent predictors have a moderate performance in predicting high TIL tumors with AUC 0.79, sensitivity 0.72, and specificity 0.78.

CONCLUSIONS

Conventional ultrasound and CEUS features were associated with TIL levels in invasive BC. Consequently, the results suggested that preoperative conventional ultrasound and CEUS may be a useful noninvasive imaging biomarker for individualized treatment decisions.

Deep Learning with Transformer or Convolutional Neural Network in the Assessment of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) in Breast Cancer Based on US Images: A Dual-Center Retrospective Study

This study aimed to explore the feasibility of using a deep-learning (DL) approach to predict TIL levels in breast cancer (BC) from ultrasound (US) images. A total of 494 breast cancer patients with pathologically confirmed invasive BC from two hospitals were retrospectively enrolled. Of these, 396 patients from hospital 1 were divided into the training cohort (n = 298) and internal validation (IV) cohort (n = 98). Patients from hospital 2 (n = 98) were in the external validation (EV) cohort. TIL levels were confirmed by pathological results. Five different DL models were trained for predicting TIL levels in BC using US images from the training cohort and validated on the IV and EV cohorts. The overall best-performing DL model, the attention-based DenseNet121, achieved an AUC of 0.873, an accuracy of 79.5%, a sensitivity of 90.7%, a specificity of 65.9%, and an F1 score of 0.830 in the EV cohort. In addition, the stratified analysis showed that the DL models had good discrimination performance of TIL levels in each of the molecular subgroups. The DL models based on US images of BC patients hold promise for non-invasively predicting TIL levels and helping with individualized treatment decision-making.

Correlation study between apparent diffusion coefficients and the prognostic factors in breast cancer

AIM

To analyse the correlation between apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) derived from intratumoural and peritumoural regions with prognostic factors and immune-inflammatory markers in breast cancer (BC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study, 89 patients (age range, 28-66 years; median, 45 years) with a diagnosis of invasive BC who underwent routine blood tests and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were enrolled. The study cohort was stratified according to tumour maximum cross-section ≥20 mm, lymph node metastasis (LNM), time-signal intensity curve (TIC) type, and receptor status. Minimum, maximum, mean, and heterogeneity values of tumour ADC (ADC_tmin, ADC_tmax, ADC_tmean, and ADC_heter), maximum values of peritumoural ADC (ADC_pmax), and the ratio of peritumoural-tumour ADC (ADC_ratio) were obtained on the ADC maps. Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the correlation between immune-inflammatory markers, prognostic factors and ADC values.

RESULTS

HER-2 was positively associated with ADC_tmax, ADC_tmean, and ADC_pmax values (β = 0.306, p=0.004; β = 0.283, p=0.007; β = 0.262, p=0.007, respectively), while platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was positively associated with ADC_pmax and ADC_ratio values (β = 0.227, p=0.020; β = 0.231, p=0.020, respectively). Among ADC parameters, ADC_pmax showed the highest predictive values for evaluating the presence of LNM (AUC, 0.751; sensitivity, 70.4%; specificity, 77.1%).

CONCLUSION

The ADC_pmax value could provide additional assistance in predicting prognostic factors of BC.