Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy's Role in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) facilitates breast conservation in women with large tumors, which are common in our inner city breast clinic. We performed this review of our NC breast cancer experience, which includes a disproportionate number of triple negative patients. Patients treated with NC were divided into two groups based on their tumor's receptor status. Patients with tumors negative for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2-neu were considered triple negative (TN) and patients with positive staining for any of these receptors were considered nontriple negative (NTN). Response to NC was considered a complete response (CR) if no residual tumor was detected at surgery, partial response (PR) if the height and width was reduced by at least 50 per cent, and no response (NR) for anything less than a PR. Differences were assessed by χ(2) analysis and Student's t test. We identified 30 patients treated with NC (11 TN and 19 NTN). Twenty-one patients (70%) were African American (11/11 TN and 10/19 NTN; P = 0.01). Age (46.8 ± 6.0 years TN vs 49.5 ± 11.7 years NTN), response rates (18% NR, 55% PR, and 27% CR TN; 37% NR, 42% PR, and 21% CR NTN), and node positivity (64% TN vs 74% NTN) were statistically similar. Two TN (20%) and seven (41%) NTN patients underwent breast conservation therapy. Our results demonstrate the association of African American race and TN breast cancer. TN cancers respond similarly to NC when compared with NTN, allowing for tumor downstaging and possible breast conservation surgery.