Outcomes of breast cancer patients with high volume of residual disease following neoadjuvant chemotherapy Journal Article


Authors: Zhang, Y. H.; Montagna, G.; Flynn, J.; Gillespie, E. F.; Mamtani, A.; Zhang, Z.; Braunstein, L. Z.; Powell, S. N.; Morrow, M.; Barrio, A.; Khan, A. J.
Article Title: Outcomes of breast cancer patients with high volume of residual disease following neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Abstract: Purpose: The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with operable breast cancer allows for assessment of treatment response and subsequent tailoring of adjuvant therapy. Data are limited with respect to outcomes among patients with a heavy residual tumor burden after NAC. We report outcomes in patients who had exceptionally poor responses to NAC: those with >9 involved nodes after NAC or with 5 cm or more of residual disease in the breast. Methods and Materials: Between June 2014 and April 2020, 1511 patients with breast cancer received NAC followed by surgery at our institution. Poor responders, defined as those with positive nodes or residual tumor in the breast, were identified for analysis. Patients were further classified into 3 groups for comparison purposes: (1) 1 to 3 positive nodes; (2) 4 to 9 positive nodes; or (3) >9 positive nodes and/or >5 cm of residual tumor, which was defined as high-volume residual (HVR). Recurrence and survival outcomes were compared based on residual disease burden after NAC. Results: Among 934 poor responders, 539 patients had 1 to 3 positive nodes (ypN1), 215 had 4 to 9 positive nodes (ypN2), and 180 had HVR disease. Specifically, 118 had >9 positive nodes (HVR), and 62 patients had >5 cm of residual tumor in the breast. With a median follow-up of 31 months (interquartile range, 18-46), the 5-year overall survival rate was 88% among ypN1, 76% among ypN2, and 72% among patients with HVR disease (P < .001). The 5-year distant recurrence–free survival and locoregional recurrence incidences were 82% and 7.6% among ypN1 versus 67% and 8.4% among ypN2 versus 53% and 12% among HVR, respectively. Conclusions: Our work suggests that patients with HVR disease are at high risk for locoregional and distant recurrence as well as death, despite best available standard-of-care treatment. Intensification of locoregional therapies and/or alternative adjuvant systemic treatment may improve outcomes in these poor responders. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.
Keywords: treatment response; adjuvant therapy; chemotherapy; breast cancer; tumors; diseases; residual disease; cancer patients; methods and materials; residual tumors; neoadjuvant chemotherapies; high volumes; involved nodes
Journal Title: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
Volume: 115
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0360-3016
Publisher: Elsevier Inc.  
Date Published: 2023-03-01
Start Page: 622
End Page: 628
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.09.065
PUBMED: 36155213
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC11932525
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- MSK Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA008748) acknowledged in PDF -- MSK Corresponding author is Atif Khan -- Export Date: 1 February 2023 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Andrea Veronica Barrio
    134 Barrio
  2. Zhigang Zhang
    427 Zhang
  3. Monica Morrow
    772 Morrow
  4. Simon Nicholas Powell
    331 Powell
  5. Anita   Mamtani
    65 Mamtani
  6. Atif Jalees Khan
    152 Khan
  7. Jessica Flynn
    182 Flynn
  8. Erin Faye Gillespie
    149 Gillespie
  9. Giacomo Montagna
    100 Montagna
  10. Yue Helen Zhang
    11 Zhang