pCR AS PROGNOSTIC FACTOR IN HER2+ BREAST CANCER 

Ann Oncol. 2013 Apr 5. [Epub ahead of print]

Pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab predicts for improved survival in women with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer.

Kim MM, Allen P, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Woodward WA, Meric-Bernstam F, Buzdar AU, Hunt KK, Kuerer HM, Litton JK, Hortobagyi GN, Buchholz TA, Mittendorf EA.

Source

Departments of Radiation Oncology.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

We sought to determine the prognostic value of pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with concurrent trastuzumab.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Two hundred and twenty-nine women with HER2/neu (HER2)-overexpressing breast cancer were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus trastuzumab between 2001 and 2008. Patients were grouped based on pathologic complete response (pCR, n = 114) or less than pCR (

RESULTS:

The median follow-up was 63 (range 53-77) months. There was no difference in clinical stage between patients with pCR or

CONCLUSIONS:

pCR and lower pathologic stage after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab are the strongest predictors of recurrence and survival and are surrogates of the long-term outcome in patients with HER2-overexpressing disease.