Evaluation of Concordance Between Histopathological, Radiological and Biomolecular Variables in Breast Cancer Neoadjuvant Treatment

Abstract

Background/aim: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer (BC) is the gold standard treatment for locally advanced tumors (LABC) that aims at achieving a complete pathological response (pCR). Studies have been conducted to evaluate and identify te concordance between radiological, histopathological and biological variables of BC and final response to therapy, verified by definitive histological examination after surgery.

Patients and methods: Ninety-five BC patients were examined and subjected to NAC. Immunohistochemical markers including oestrogen-receptor (ER), progesterone-receptor (PR), Ki67 index, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) score were examined before and after neoadjuvant treatment.

Results: Younger age and a significant decrease in ER expression were associated with better prognosis. Triple Negative (TN) and Her2-type breast cancers benefited most from neoadjuvant chemotherapy with higher frequency of pCR.

Conclusion: HER2-type and TN BC are correlated with best response to NAC. A statistically significant correlation between radiological images and definitive histological examination was not observed.

Keywords: Breast cancer; MRI accuracy; complete pathological response; histological examination; neoadjuvant chemotherapy.