PurposePatients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) with pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) have superior survival outcomes compared to those with residual disease after NAC. This study investigated the value of three biomarkers, p53, Ki-67, and Bcl-2 for predicting pCR in NAC-treated patients with TNBC.MethodsBetween 2003 and 2012, 198 patients with pathologically confirmed primary TNBC were treated with two different taxane-based chemotherapeutic regimens prior to surgery. Before NAC, expression of p53 (cutoff 25%), Ki-67 (cutoff 10%), and Bcl-2 (cutoff 10%) was assessed immunohistochemically in core biopsy specimens. The incidence of pCR was correlated with the expression of these biomarkers.ResultsOverall, pCR occurred in 37 of the 198 patients (18.7%). A significant association was observed between the pCR rate and overexpression of the p53 and Ki-67 biomarkers. Multivariate analysis showed that only p53 expression was independently associated with pCR to NAC (odds ratio, 3.961; p=0.003). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of p53 expression for predicting pCR were 77.8%, 50.3%, 26.2%, and 90.9%, respectively. The pCR rate was the lowest (5.2%) in patients with low expression of both p53 and Ki-67, and it was the highest (25.8%) when both biomarkers showed high expression.ConclusionExpression of p53 was significantly associated with pCR after NAC in patients with TNBC, suggesting that this biomarker might be particularly valuable in identifying TNBC patients prone to have residual disease after NAC.
BackgroundThe prognostic role of serum estrogen level in breast cancer patients is unclear. We investigated the prognostic importance of preoperative serum estradiol (E2) level in postmenopausal women according to their estrogen receptor (ER) status.MethodsThe medical records of 313 postmenopausal breast cancer patients who underwent surgery between 2006 and 2008 at a single institution were retrospectively evaluated. Patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, synchronous bilateral breast cancer, or those with metastasis at diagnosis were excluded. Serum E2 and follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were measured by radioimmunoassay and immunoradiometric assay, respectively, within 3 months prior to surgery. After a median follow-up of 52.0 months (11–77 months), 21 women were found to have metastatic disease.ResultsThe overall, median E2 level was 13.0 pg/ml, and was slightly higher in ER-positive than ER-negative (p=0.69). The mean serum E2 level was significantly higher in patients with metastasis (17.41±8.34 pg/ml) than in those without metastasis (13.54±7.58 pg/ml) (p=0.02). Kaplan-Meier analysis using a cut-off of 13 pg/ml showed that, ER negative (p=0.02) but not ER positive (p>0.05) patients with higher E2 level showed significantly poorer metastasis-free survival. Multivariate analysis showed that, the high E2 level of ER negative tumors was an independent negative prognostic factor for metastasis- free survival (HR, 3.32; 95% CI, 1.05 to 10.51; p=0.04).ConclusionsHigher preoperative serum E2 level had a negative prognostic effect in postmenopausal women with breast cancer, especially in the ER-negative subgroup.
Identifying ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) patients at highest risk for recurrence after breast conserving surgery (BCS) remains a clinical concern. Subjecting all such patients to radiotherapy may be unnecessary. The Van Nuys Prognostic Index (VNPI) is a simple scoring system for predicting the risk of local recurrence in patients with DCIS. We reviewed patients with DCIS applying the VNPI score system. A total of 184 DCIS patients who underwent surgery at our institution between January 2003 and December 2011 were identified. Patients were not treated according to VNPI guidelines; rather, radiation therapy was applied at each surgeon’s discretion. All patients with hormonal receptor positive tumors were treated with hormonal therapy. Pathology reports were reviewed and VNPI scores of each DCIS calculated. Of the 184 patients, 52 (28.3%), 115 (62.5%) and 17 (9.2%) had low, intermediate and high VNPI scores, respectively. Six of the 184 patients (3.3%) developed ipsilateral local recurrence, five in the intermediate and one in the high VNPI score group. Of the five in the intermediate group, three (60%) were in patients with ER-negative tumors. VNPI score itself was not associated with recurrence (P = 0.145). Factors associated with recurrence included tumor size (hazard ratio [HR] 6.88), grade (HR 9.07) and hormone receptor status (HR 11.75). Radiotherapy did not significantly improve recurrence rates in patients with low and intermediate risk DCIS, especially in those with ER-positive tumors. Radiotherapy can be omitted in patients with ER-positive intermediate score DCIS and in patients with low score DCIS.
Purpose: Cervical lymphadenectomy is frequently performed in patients with lateral cervical lymph node metastasis to improve regional control of disease. However, there is controversy regarding appropriate levels of the neck that need to be dissected. In particular, the routine dissection of level V remains an annoying and time consuming procedure due to the injury of the spinal accessory nerve. Methods: To identify clinical and pathological predictors of cervical node metastases to level V in papillary thyroid carcinoma, we analyzed 42 patients who underwent modified radical neck dissection (MRND), which were separately performed by each strict anatomical level. Five patients underwent both MRND, 29 patients received total thyroidectomy with central neck node dissection and MRND at the time of initial operation. Thirteen patients underwent MRND later when lateral neck metastases were found at the follow-up after total thyroidectomy with central neck node dissection. Results: In our series, 11.9% of neck specimens harbored metastatic thyroid carcinoma at level V. The metastatic rate of level II, III, and IV was 54.7%, 85.7%, and 64.2%, respectively. The presence of level V metastases was not significantly associated with level II, III metastases, age, sex, and histopathologic findings. But, it seemed to be associated with level IV metastases if the proportion of metastasis of level IV exceeded 50%. Conclusion: Cervical node metastasis seems to be associated with level IV metastases if the proportion of metastasis of level IV exceeds 50%.
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