ABSTRACT
SUBJECTS: Between August 2003 and January 2008, 35 patients with primary breast cancer received preoperative systemic chemotherapy(PSC). METHODS: The subjects were divided into 4 groups based on the expressions of ER, PgR, and HER2: luminal A and B, HER2, and basal-like groups. FEC75 followed by docetaxel was administered preoperatively. However, a regimen with trastuzumab was employed after 2006. RESULTS: The subjects consisted of 1 male and 34 females, with a mean age of 56.0 years. In 65.7% of these, axillar lymph node metastasis was detected before surgery: 13 patients in the luminal A, 4 in the luminal B, 13 in the HER2, and 5 in the basal-like groups. A clinical complete response(cCR)was achieved in 25.7% of the patients, and a partial response in 62.9%; the response rate was 88.6%. Pathologically, the grade was evaluated as 3 in 14.3% of the patients and 2 in 48.6%. In the basal-like and HER2 groups, the cCR and pCR rates were higher than those in the luminal groups. Combination therapy with trastuzumab was not effective in the HER2 or luminal B group. DISCUSSION: This simple classification method may be useful for predicting the effects of PSC.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized , Breast Neoplasms/immunology , Breast Neoplasms/surgery , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Immunotherapy , Male , Middle Aged , TrastuzumabABSTRACT
SUBJECTS: The subjects were patients with resectable breast cancer who visited our department between August 2003 and November 2004, did not have any other risk factors defined in the St. Gallen Consensus Conference,and were receptor-negative or had axillary lymph node metastasis. METHODS: The histological type, ER, PgR, HER2, and histological grade were evaluated by needle biopsy. Four courses of CEF (5-FU: 500 mg/m(2)+EPI: 75 mg/m(2)+CPA: 500 mg/m(2)) were performed at 3-week intervals, followed by 4 courses of Docetaxel (70 mg/m(2)). RESULTS: Treatment was performed in 14 patients including a male. Their age ranged from 37 to 69 years (mean, 55.3 years). Stage IIA was observed in 5 patients, IIB in 4, IIIA in 1, and IIIB in 4. In patients with Grade 3 or more, leukocytopenia was observed in 7 patients and diarrhea in 1 as adverse events. CR was obtained in 6 patients, PR in 5, and NC in 3 (response rate, 78.5%). Pathological examination showed pCR in 1 patient and pPR in 10 (response rate, 78.5%). Of the 10 patients with pPR, 2 showed a state near pCR. DISCUSSION: Our results showed the safety and effectiveness of preoperative chemotherapy with CEF followed by Docetaxel.
