TY - JOUR
T1 - Prognostic value of lymph node metastases after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for large-sized operable carcinoma of the breast
AU - Botti, C.
AU - Vici, P.
AU - Lopez, M.
AU - Scinto, A. F.
AU - Cognetti, F.
AU - Cavaliere, R.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery or radiation therapy, or both, has become the treatment of choice for patients with large- sized resectable carcinoma of the breast in whom mastectomy is the conventional option. Since tumor regression before surgery is considered a favorable prognostic factor, there is still controversy regarding the need to perform an axillary dissection after a good response to systemic induction treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Between February 1990 and December 1993, we conducted a prospective study of 56 consecutive patients receiving high-dose anthracycline-based preoperative chemotherapy for large but potentially resectable carcinoma of the breast. Patients who had a good clinical response to induction systemic treatment received the same chemotherapy in the adjuvant phase, while those whose response was less than optimal received alternative adjuvant chemotherapy regimens. A multivariate analysis was made to evaluate the relative influence on disease-free survival rates of 11 clinicopathologic and treatment-related variables, including clinical response to primary chemotherapy, primary pathological (p-T) staging, and the number of metastatic lymph nodes. RESULTS: At a median follow-up period of 36 months, only the number of metastatic lymph nodes was found to be an independent predictor of relapse. Clinical response to systemic induction treatment and p-T staging did not correlate with prognosis. In the group of patients with axillary lymph node involvement, those who did not respond to preoperative chemotherapy showed a lower relapse rate compared with those who achieved an objective response. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that axillary lymphadenectomy should be considered an important component of the combined modality therapy for patients with large-sized resectable carcinoma of the breast in order to identify subgroups of patients that may benefit from alternative treatments in the adjuvant setting.
AB - BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery or radiation therapy, or both, has become the treatment of choice for patients with large- sized resectable carcinoma of the breast in whom mastectomy is the conventional option. Since tumor regression before surgery is considered a favorable prognostic factor, there is still controversy regarding the need to perform an axillary dissection after a good response to systemic induction treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Between February 1990 and December 1993, we conducted a prospective study of 56 consecutive patients receiving high-dose anthracycline-based preoperative chemotherapy for large but potentially resectable carcinoma of the breast. Patients who had a good clinical response to induction systemic treatment received the same chemotherapy in the adjuvant phase, while those whose response was less than optimal received alternative adjuvant chemotherapy regimens. A multivariate analysis was made to evaluate the relative influence on disease-free survival rates of 11 clinicopathologic and treatment-related variables, including clinical response to primary chemotherapy, primary pathological (p-T) staging, and the number of metastatic lymph nodes. RESULTS: At a median follow-up period of 36 months, only the number of metastatic lymph nodes was found to be an independent predictor of relapse. Clinical response to systemic induction treatment and p-T staging did not correlate with prognosis. In the group of patients with axillary lymph node involvement, those who did not respond to preoperative chemotherapy showed a lower relapse rate compared with those who achieved an objective response. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that axillary lymphadenectomy should be considered an important component of the combined modality therapy for patients with large-sized resectable carcinoma of the breast in order to identify subgroups of patients that may benefit from alternative treatments in the adjuvant setting.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 7670678
AN - SCOPUS:0029087727
VL - 181
SP - 202
EP - 208
JO - Journal of the American College of Surgeons
JF - Journal of the American College of Surgeons
SN - 1072-7515
IS - 3
ER -