Perineural invasion as a risk factor for locoregional recurrence of invasive breast cancer Journal Article


Authors: Narayan, P.; Flynn, J.; Zhang, Z.; Gillespie, E. F.; Mueller, B.; Xu, A. J.; Cuaron, J.; McCormick, B.; Khan, A. J.; Cahlon, O.; Powell, S. N.; Wen, H.; Braunstein, L. Z.
Article Title: Perineural invasion as a risk factor for locoregional recurrence of invasive breast cancer
Abstract: Perineural invasion (PNI) is a pathologic finding observed across a spectrum of solid tumors, typically with adverse prognostic implications. Little is known about how the presence of PNI influences locoregional recurrence (LRR) among breast cancers. We evaluated the association between PNI and LRR among an unselected, broadly representative cohort of breast cancer patients, and among a propensity-score matched cohort. We ascertained breast cancer patients seen at our institution from 2008 to 2019 for whom PNI status and salient clinicopathologic features were available. Fine-Gray regression models were constructed to evaluate the association between PNI and LRR, accounting for age, tumor size, nodal involvement, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2 status, histologic tumor grade, presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and receipt of chemotherapy and/or radiation. Analyses were then refined by comparing PNI-positive patients to a PNI-negative cohort defined by propensity score matching. Among 8864 invasive breast cancers, 1384 (15.6%) were noted to harbor PNI. At a median follow-up of 6.3 years, 428 locoregional recurrence events were observed yielding a 7-year LRR of 7.1% (95% CI 5.5–9.1) for those with PNI and 4.7% (95% CI 4.2–5.3; p = 0.01) for those without. On univariate analysis throughout the entire cohort, presence of PNI was significantly associated with an increased risk of LRR (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.08–1.78, p < 0.01). Accounting for differences in salient clinicopathologic and treatment parameters by multivariable Fine-Gray regression modeling, the association between PNI and LRR was potentiated (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.2–2.07, p = 0.001). We further conducted propensity score matching to balance clinicopathologic parameters and treatments between the two groups (PNI vs not), again showing a similar significant association between PNI and LRR (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.03–2.08, p = 0.034). PNI is significantly associated with LRR following the definitive treatment of invasive breast cancer. The excess risk conferred by PNI is similar in magnitude to that observed with LVI, or by ER/PR negativity. Breast cancer prognostication and therapeutic decision-making should consider the presence of PNI among other salient risk factors. Larger studies among more uniform breast cancer presentations may elucidate the extent to which these findings apply across breast cancer subtypes and stages. © 2021, The Author(s).
Journal Title: Scientific Reports
Volume: 11
ISSN: 2045-2322
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group  
Date Published: 2021-06-17
Start Page: 12781
Language: English
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92343-4
PUBMED: 34140615
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC8211664
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 July 2021 -- Source: Scopus
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
MSK Authors
  1. Zhigang Zhang
    428 Zhang
  2. Simon Nicholas Powell
    331 Powell
  3. Boris A Mueller
    104 Mueller
  4. Oren Cahlon
    158 Cahlon
  5. Beryl McCormick
    372 McCormick
  6. John Jacob Cuaron
    142 Cuaron
  7. Huei Chi   Wen
    10 Wen
  8. Amy Jia Xu
    66 Xu
  9. Atif Jalees Khan
    153 Khan
  10. Jessica Flynn
    182 Flynn
  11. Erin Faye Gillespie
    149 Gillespie