Abstract PS4-22: Prevalence of HER2-low and HER2-zero subgroups and correlation with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Current definition of HER2-positive BC follows ASCO/CAP guidelines using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or in situ hybridization (ISH)-based techniques. However, HER2 expression can be variable in cells that lack ERBB2 amplification. For example, HER2-negative tumors can express some level of HER2 protein by IHC (i.e. 1+ or 2+ and a negative ISH result) and are identified as HER2-low. Others have no expression and are considered HER2-zero. Innovative therapies have shown promising activity in patients in HER2-low BC. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association of HER2-low and HER2-zero status with response to NACT in HER2-negative BC. METHODS Retrospective cohort of patients with HER2-negative BC treated with NACT in four institutions in Brazil. Protocols of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up were standardized and based on international guidelines. Tumors with HER2 IHC score 0 were classified as HER2-zero whereas tumors with HER2 score 1+ and those with HER2 score 2+ with FISH-negative were classified as HER2-low. Patients were treated with anthracycline- and taxane- based chemotherapy. The following clinicopathological data were evaluated, when available: age, ER, Ki67, tumor size, lymph node (LN) status and response to NACT according to pCR status and residual cancer burden (RCB) index. Primary objective was to evaluate the prevalences and compare pCR rates among HER2-zero and HER2-low cases. Secondary objectives were to perform the same comparison within the HR-positive (HR+) and HR-negative subgroups. Pearsons chi squared tests were performed and a p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS 331 patients were included in this analysis. 63% were HR+and 37% were TNBC. 50% were HER2-zero and 50% HER-low (36% HER2 IHC 1+ and 14% HER2 IHC 2+/FISH-negative). Median age, initial tumor size, clinical LN status and Ki67 expression were similar among HER2-zero and HER2-low subgroups. In HR+ tumors, 42% (86/207) were HER2-zero and 58% (121/207) were HER2-low. In TNBC, 63% (78/124) were HER2-zero and 37% (46/124) were HER2-low (p<0.001, Pearsons chi squared test). The pCR rate was 26% (85/331) in the entire cohort. As expected, there was a higher rate of pCR in TNBC vs HR+ (50% vs 11%, p<0.001). We found a statistically significant difference in the pCR rates when comparing the HER2-zero versus HER2-low subgroups (31% vs 20%, p=0.03). However, this difference is mostly related to an imbalance between groups (HER2-zero subgroups had a higher proportion of TNBC). Among HR+ tumors, there was no difference in the pCR rates between HER2-zero and HER2-low subgroups (8% vs 13%, p=0.35). In TNBC, we identified an interesting but non-statistically significant difference in pCR in HER2-zero vs. HER2-low tumors (56% vs. 39%, p=0.09). In the TNBC cohort we identified a non-statistically significant difference in RCB 0-I in HER2-zero vs. HER2-low tumors (p=0.06). With a 30 month median follow-up, PFS and OS data are immature. CONCLUSION The distribution of HER2-zero and HER2-low cases is different in HR+ and TNBC. HER2-low is more frequent in HR+ and HER2-zero in TNBC. We identified a higher pCR rate in HER2-zero compared to HER2-low tumors, even though this difference is associated with an imbalance between the two groups. Still, we identified a trend to higher pCR rate in HER2-zero compared to HER2-low tumors even within the TNBC subgroup. Identification of HER2-low and HER2-zero tumors may have clinical implications that should be further explored. Citation Format: Tomas Reinert, Guilherme Parisotto Sartori, Alessandra AB Souza, Rodrigo Pellegrini, Mahira L Rosa, Nathalia Rossatto, Guilherme P Coelho, Isnard E Litvin, Felipe Zerwes, Eduardo Millen, Francisco P Cavalcante, Antonio L Frasson, Marcia S Graudenz, Carlos H Barrios. Prevalence of HER2-low and HER2-zero subgroups and correlation with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS4-22.

HER2-low status and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in HER2 negative early breast cancer

“…Not surprisingly, HER2-low status did not predict for response to standard chemotherapy in this cohort. A similar finding was preliminarily presented at San Antonio 2020, in a retrospective series of 331 patients, with no difference in the pCR rates between HR-positive HER2-0 and HER2-low subgroups (8% vs 13%, p=0.35), but a higher pCR rate, although non-statistically significant, among TNBC HER2-0 versus HER2-low tumors (56% vs. 39%, p=0.09) [20].…”

Impact of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) Low Status in Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Early Breast Cancer

“…Another series of 331 patients showed no difference in the pCR rates between receptor hormonal positive HER2-0 and HER2-low subgroups (8% vs 13%) and were non-statistically significant. A higher pCR rate was achieved among TNBC HER2-0 versus HER2-low tumors (56% vs. 39%) although they were equally non-statistically relevant [ 20 ].…”

Targeted Approaches to HER2-Low Breast Cancer: Current Practice and Future Directions

“…From the perspective of chemotherapy benefit, several clinical trials have found that HER2-low BC has a lower pCR rate than HER2-0 BC. However, the difference is not statistically significant, and the OS and DFS prognostic outcomes remain uncertain [ 157 , 158 , 159 ]. The currently available evidence suggests that chemotherapy regimens for HER2-low BC can still be managed with reference to HER2-negative BC.…”