Role of breast ultrasound in evaluating the response of locally advanced breast cancer to neoadjuvant anthracycline chemotherapy in Ibadan

Abstract

Introduction: Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is increasingly used in the treatment of patients with large and locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). It aims at downsizing the primary tumor thereby minimizing micro-metastatic disease. There exists variable response following neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and the objective of this study was to determine the potential role of breast ultrasound in monitoring the clinical response of LABC to NAC.Methods: One hundred and twenty (120) consecutive patients with LABC scheduled to have six cycles of anthracycline-based neo-adjuvant chemotherapy were recruited for the study at the Surgical Oncology Unit of the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Eligible patients had a pre-chemotherapeutic breast ultrasound (US). Follow up breast US was performed 3 weeks after completion of each cycle of chemotherapy. Ethical approval was obtained from the