In a nutshell
This study looked at risk factors associated with the prognosis of triple negative breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant therapy. This study concluded that lymph node status after neoadjuvant therapy is the major prognostic factor for these patients.
Some background
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a type of cancer that does not depend on hormones (estrogen or progesterone) or the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) for growth. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is often used for TNBC. NAC is when treatment is given to shrink a tumor before the main treatment, which is usually surgery. However, only a subset of patients will achieve an absence of visible disease in the breast and lymph nodes after NAC. It is still unclear what factors are associated with the prognosis (the likely course of a medical condition) of TNBC patients who have received NAC.
Methods & findings
The current study examined factors associated with the prognosis of TNBC patients who received NAC. The study included 326 patients. Patients were all treated with chemotherapy. 6 to 8 weeks after the end of the chemotherapy, surgery was performed. The patients were followed for an average of roughly 4 years after treatment.
Patients who did not have cancer in the lymph nodes after NAC, but who were obese, had 2.64 times the risk of having a poor prognosis. Cancer in the lymph nodes after receiving NAC was associated with 3.89 times the risk of a poor prognosis. Patients who had cancer in the lymph nodes after NAC and were also pre-menopausal had more than 9 times the risk of a poor prognosis.
The bottom line
This study concluded that lymph node status (whether there is cancer in the lymph nodes or not) after NAC is a major prognostic factor in women with TNBC.
The fine print
While the follow-up period was greater than 4 years, a longer follow-up period may actually be needed in order to achieve a more accurate description of prognosis.
Published By :
PLOS ONE
Date :
Dec 18, 2015
