Triple negative breast cancer compared to hormone receptor negative/HER2 positive breast cancer

Med Oncol. 2009;26(3):335-43. doi: 10.1007/s12032-008-9126-3. Epub 2008 Nov 12.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reveal likely demographic, clinical, and pathological differences among hormone receptor negative breast cancer patients according to their HER-2 status. The medical records of hormone receptor negative breast cancer patients with known HER-2 status between January 1999 and December 2006 were reviewed, retrospectively. A total of 91 cases were included in the study (68 HER-2 negative cases and 23 HER-2 positive cases). The results obtained showed that median age, menarche age, childbearing age, number of children, menopause age, and body-mass indexes were similar in both groups. The HER-2 negative patients had more family history of breast cancer than HER-2 positive patients (13.2% and 0%, respectively, P = 0.091). Eighty-three patients received neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy. Recurrence occurred in 41 (46.6%) patients. Neither recurrence nor disease-free survival of those patients was associated with HER-2 status. Tumor size (P = 0.042) and number of involved lymph nodes (P = 0.001) were found to be independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival. A tendency for more frequent cerebral metastasis was found in HER-2 positive advanced stage patients (P = 0.052). HER-2 positive patients were less responsive to taxanes (P = 0.071). The number of involved lymph nodes (P = 0.004) and HER-2 status (P = 0.043) were found to be prognostic factors for overall survival. HER-2 positive and negative patients should be followed and treated with different strategies. HER-2 positive patients are at least as resistant to systemic therapies as the HER-2 negative patients. Genetic counseling should be routinely provided to triple negative patients and their families. HER-2 positive patients may be candidates for prophylactic treatment strategies concerning cerebral metastasis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Prognosis
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / biosynthesis*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / biosynthesis*
  • Receptors, Progesterone / biosynthesis*
  • Recurrence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Turkey / epidemiology

Substances

  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Receptors, Progesterone
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2