Analysis of the factors influencing adjuvant chemotherapy decisions for triple negative breast cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To analyze adjuvant chemotherapy decisions for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), and explore the influencing factors in the multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) modality.@*Methods@#A retrospective analysis was performed. The cases with invasive TNBC who underwent surgery and MDT discussion for adjuvant treatment in Ruijin Hospital, from April 2013 to June 2015, were recruited. The patients′ clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed and adjuvant treatment suggestions from MDT were obtained. Here the chemotherapy decision alteration was defined as a disagreement in chemotherapy or not, or inconsistence in regimens between the attending doctor and the multidisciplinary team.@*Results@#A total of 194 patients aged ≤70 years old were enrolled in the multidisciplinary discussion, and 187 patients (96.4%) were suggested to receive chemotherapy. When compared the opinions of the attending doctor to suggestions of the multidisciplinary team, we found that the percentage of chemotherapy decision alteration reached 22.7% (39/172), of which 94.9% (37/39) were inconsistence in chemotherapy regimens. There were 119 patients who were recommended to receive epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide (EC) followed by docetaxel (T) or weekly paclitaxel (wP) regimens. Before the announcement of results for the E1199 trial, EC-T accounted for 62.5% (55/88), and EC-wP accounted for 37.5% (33/88) for this group of patients. After that, the proportion of EC-T was decreased to 22.6% (7/31) and proportion of EC-wP increased to 77.4%(24/31) (P<0.001). In addition, a total of 20 patients were suggested to receive platinum based chemotherapy. The proportions were 9.3% in cases with invasive ductal carcinoma, and 33.3% in cases with metaplastic carcinoma, respectively (P=0.016).@*Conclusions@#The adjuvant chemotherapy decision for TNBC patients is altered in 22.7% of the patients after MDT discussion. After the announcement of SABCS E1199 results, more patients are suggested to receive EC followed by weekly paclitaxel. There is a lack of detailed evidence for platinum based adjuvant chemotherapy for TNBC, and more patients with metaplastic carcinoma receive platinum based adjuvant chemotherapy.