The Effectiveness of Radiological Methods in Predicting Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Therapy in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Abstract Aim: The current innovations in breast cancer treatment have led to an increased utilization of neoadjuvant therapy. Pathological complete response following neoadjuvant therapy is a crucial prognostic factor for predicting survival. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of radiological methods in predicting patholojical complete response in our patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Material and Methods: The medical records of patients who received treatment for breast cancer at our hospital between January 2017 and January 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The study included female patients over the age of 18 with locally advanced unifocal breast cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Demographic information, menopausal status, molecular subtypes, radiological results, disease stage, treatment and surgical methods, and pathology results were recorded. Results: A total of 4474 patients were treated for breast cancer out of which 94 patients met the criteria for this study. The mean age of the patients was 49.9 ± 11.06 years. Ultrasonography was performed on all patients, while FDG-PetCT was performed on 47 (50%) patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 31 (33%) patients for radiological response evaluation. The radiological complete response was highest in the FDG-petCT group (39.4%). The rate of pathological complete response was 35.1%. Conclusion: Although FDG-PETCT has high sensitivity in predicting pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancers, the common use of ultrasonography, FDG-PETCT, and magnetic resonance imaging is more advantageous due to their different benefits.