Senologie - Zeitschrift für Mammadiagnostik und -therapie 2020; 17(02): e24
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1710638
Abstracts
Senologie

Factors associated with axillary conversion after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAT) in initially node positive breast cancer patients - a transSENTINA analysis

HC Kolberg
1   Marienhospital Bottrop, Bottrop, Deutschland
,
T Kühn
2   Klinikum Esslingen, Esslingen, Deutschland
,
M Krajewska
3   Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Deutschland
,
I Bauerfeind
4   Klinikum Landshut, Landshut, Deutschland
,
TN Fehm
5   Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
,
B Fleige
6   Helios Klinikum Berlin Buch, Berlin, Deutschland
,
G Helms
7   Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland
,
A Lebeau
8   Universitätsklinikum Hamburg - Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
,
A Stäbler
7   Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Deutschland
,
S Loibl
9   German Breast Group, Neu Isenburg, Deutschland
,
M Untch
6   Helios Klinikum Berlin Buch, Berlin, Deutschland
,
C Kolberg-Liedtke
3   Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Deutschland
› Author Affiliations
 

Background Selection criteria for the strategy of omission of axillary surgery in selected patients after NAT have to include the probability of conversion from cN1 to ycN0. We analyzed the association of clinical/pathological parameters and axillary conversion in arms C and D of the SENTINA trial.

Methods Patients in arms C/D of the SENTINA trial presented with clinically positive nodes before NAT. Based on their response to NAT they were assigned to arm C (ycN0) or arm D (ycN+). The association between clinical/pathological parameters and axillary conversion after NAT was analyzed by univariate logistic regression.

Results Of the 892 patients in arms C and D of the SENTINA trial 716 were evaluable. 593 patients converted to ycN0 (arm C), 123 patients still had involved lymph nodes after NAT (ycN+) (arm D). Arms C and D were compared regarding tumor diameter by ultrasound before and after NAT, grading, multifocality, ER, PR, HER2, pathological complete remission in the breast (breast pCR), morphology, lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and hemangiosis. Small tumor diameter after NAT (p = 0.0038), breast pCR (p = 0.0001) and lack of LVI (p = 0.0009) were positively associated with axillary conversion.

Conclusion Because of the small patient number in arm D, we could not identify an association between tumor biology and axillary conversion. Clinical response of the primary tumor and breast pCR were positively associated with conversion from cN1 to ycN0. These results justify including patients with clinical and pathological response of the primary tumor in trials investigating de-escalation of axillary surgery after NAT.



Publication History

Article published online:
24 June 2020

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