OBJECTIVE Discuss the influential factor of pathologic response of tumor, axillary lymph nodes and extranodal soft tissue extension (ETE) in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and patients survival.
Methods: 196 patients with II B to approximately III B stage breast cancer, all female, aged 47 (26-65), were treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy, including intravenous injection of docetaxel and epirubicin for 21 days, followed by surgery. Then follow-up was conducted for 61 months (4-70 months). The influential factor of pathological response and relation between pathologic response and survival were analyzed.
Results: The follow-up rate of the 196 patients was 100%. 20 patients (10.2%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR), 108 patients (55.1%) achieved pathological part response (pPR), and 68 patients (34.7%) achieved pathological stable disease pSD. There was no correlation between pCR and clinical staging, and age of patients (both P > 0.05). But there was a correlation between pCR and the size of tumor, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and pathological type (all P < 0.01). 27.0% of the metastatic axillary lymph-nodes showed down-staging. The overall 5-year survival rate was 62.8% (P < 0.01). The median period of survival was 61 month (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: pCR is correlated with the size of tumor, ER, PR, and pathological type. Down-staging of primary tumor and metastatic axillary lymph-node are important prognosis factors.