Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer: Tumor Markers as Predictors of Pathologic Response, Recurrence, and Survival

: This study reports the value of the tumor markers estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in predicting the response of breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A community cancer center prospectively maintained breast cancer database containing over 8,000 patient records was used. Since 1989, 464 patients were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgical resection and were tested for ER and PR. Estrogen receptor and/or PR positive patients were considered hormone receptor (HR) positive. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status was available on 368 patients. Total, breast, and nodal pathologic complete response (pCR) rates, recurrence, and overall survival were assessed. Total and breast pCR rates were higher in HR negative (HR−) patients (26% and 32%, respectively) than in HR positive (HR+) patients (4% and 7%, respectively; p