Objectives: To investigate whether patients with germline BRCA1/2 mutations who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for advanced-stage Müllerian cancer (MC) have an improved outcome compared to patients who did not undergo genetic testing.
Methods: Three hundred and two patients who received NAC for stage III-IV MC were identified from a multi-institutional study involving Cleveland Clinic and Brigham and Women's Hospital for 2000-2014 and 2010-2014 respectively. Patients were divided into 3 cohorts: patients with germline BRCA1/2 mutations (BRCA_mut+; N=30), patients with no genetic testing (BRCA_mut_unk; N=166) and patients with negative genetic testing (BRCA_mut-, N=106).
Results: There were no differences in the clinical characteristics and rates of complete cytoreduction and bowel resection between the three groups. BRCA_mut+ had longer PFS compared to BRCA_mut_unk and BRCA_mut- (19.1 vs. 15.1 vs. 15.7months respectively. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.48). Patients with BRCA2 mutation had non-significant trend toward longer PFS compared to patients with unknown BRCA or BRCA1 mutation (20.2 vs. 15.1 vs. 14.8months respectively, p=0.58). BRCA_mut+ and BRCA_mut- had longer overall survivals (OS) compared to BRCA_mut_unk patients (50.5 vs. 54.1 vs. 36.5months respectively, p=0.009). In multivariable analyses, controlling for age, stage and complete cytoreduction, BRCA_mut_unk was associated with worse PFS (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.01-2.05, p=0.045) and OS (HR 2.67, 95% CI 1.33-5.36, p=0.006).
Conclusions: Patients with germline BRCA mutations had improved outcomes with NAC compared to patients with unknown BRCA status. These outcomes were more favorable compared to the outcome of NAC in prior studies.
Keywords: Advanced-stage cancer of Müllerian origin; BRCA; Hereditary ovarian cancer; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Overall survival; Progression free survival.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.