Joo Young Ha1,2, Jeong Eun Kim1, Hee Jin Lee3, Jae Ho Jeong1, Jin Hee Ahn1, Kyung Hae Jung1, Gyungyub Gong3, Eun Young Chae4, Hak Hee Kim4, Il Yong Chung5, Beom Seok Ko5, Sung Bae Kim6. 1. Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 2. Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 3. Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 4. Department of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 5. Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 6. Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. sbkim3@amc.seoul.kr.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) expression in breast cancer is a positive prognostic marker for certain breast cancer subtypes. We evaluated the efficacy of dual anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) blockade in HER2-positive breast cancer and hypothesized that high TILs tumors are associated with better outcomes. METHODS: A total of 176 patients who were treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel, carboplatin, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (TCHP) between December 2015 and December 2018 were reviewed. They were grouped based on a cut-off value of the stromal TILs grade (≤ 20% TILs, > 20% TILs). RESULTS: In total, 107 patients (60.8%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR). Hormone receptor (HR)-negativity (p = 0.001) and a high TILs grade (p = 0.022) were independent predictors of pCR. Among the HR-negative patients, high TILs tumors were significantly associated with pCR (p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: HR status and the TILs grade are significantly correlated with pCR in dual anti-HER2 neoadjuvant therapy. The evaluation of the TILs at baseline may be beneficial for predicting pCR in HER2-positive breast cancer.
PURPOSE: The tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) expression in breast cancer is a positive prognostic marker for certain breast cancer subtypes. We evaluated the efficacy of dual anti-humanepidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) blockade in HER2-positive breast cancer and hypothesized that high TILs tumors are associated with better outcomes. METHODS: A total of 176 patients who were treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel, carboplatin, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (TCHP) between December 2015 and December 2018 were reviewed. They were grouped based on a cut-off value of the stromal TILs grade (≤ 20% TILs, > 20% TILs). RESULTS: In total, 107 patients (60.8%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR). Hormone receptor (HR)-negativity (p = 0.001) and a high TILs grade (p = 0.022) were independent predictors of pCR. Among the HR-negative patients, high TILs tumors were significantly associated with pCR (p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS:HR status and the TILs grade are significantly correlated with pCR in dual anti-HER2 neoadjuvant therapy. The evaluation of the TILs at baseline may be beneficial for predicting pCR in HER2-positive breast cancer.