Background: In triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), pre-treatment predictors for pathological complete response (pCR) have been reported; however, those for progressive disease (PD) remain unidentified.
Methods: We investigated pre-treatment clinicopathological predictors associated with pCR and PD by retrospectively reviewing data for 165 patients treated between 2015 and 2018. Patients with pCR and PD were compared to those without pCR and PD, respectively, using logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier methods.
Results: Lack of androgen receptor (AR) was an independent predictor of pCR, while high histological grade, low Ki-67 index, and incomplete NACT courses were independent predictors of PD. Mean disease-free survival and overall survival were significantly poorer in PD patients than in pCR patients (15.7, 21.3 vs. 52.4, 56.3 months).
Conclusions: Insights into the chemo-resistance mechanisms and exploration of novel targeted agents in subgroups as per AR and Ki-67 status are needed to improve survival outcomes in TNBC patients.
Keywords: Androgen receptor; Biomarkers; Neoadjuvant therapy; Survival; Triple negative breast cancer.
© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.