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. 2022 Oct;195(3):367-377.
doi: 10.1007/s10549-022-06691-4. Epub 2022 Aug 6.

Correlation of tumour subtype with long-term outcome in small breast carcinomas: a Swedish population-based retrospective cohort study

Gunilla Rask  1   2 , Anoosheh Nazemroaya  3 , Malin Jansson  4 , Charlotta Wadsten  4 , Greger Nilsson  5   6   7 , Carl Blomqvist  8   9 , Lars Holmberg  10   11 , Fredrik Wärnberg  12 , Malin Sund  4   13
Affiliations

Correlation of tumour subtype with long-term outcome in small breast carcinomas: a Swedish population-based retrospective cohort study

Gunilla Rask et al. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate if molecular subtype is associated with outcome in stage 1 breast cancer (BC).

Methods: Tissue samples from 445 women with node-negative BC ≤ 15 mm, treated in 1986-2004, were classified into surrogate molecular subtypes [Luminal A-like, Luminal B-like (HER2-), HER2-positive, and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)]. Information on treatment, recurrences, and survival were gathered from medical records.

Results: Tumour subtype was not associated with overall survival (OS). Luminal B-like (HER2-) and TNBC were associated with higher incidence of distant metastasis at 20 years (Hazard ratio (HR) 2.26; 95% CI 1.08-4.75 and HR 3.24; 95% CI 1.17-9.00, respectively). Luminal B-like (HER2-) and TNBC patients also had worse breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS), although not statistically significant (HR 1.53; 95% CI 0.70-3.33 and HR 1.89; 95% CI 0.60-5.93, respectively). HER2-positive BC was not associated with poor outcome despite no patient receiving HER2-targeted therapy, with most of these tumours being ER+.

Conclusions: Stage 1 TNBC or Luminal B-like (HER2-) tumours behave more aggressively. Women with HER2+/ER+ tumours do not have an increased risk of distant metastasis or death, absent targeted treatment.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Long-term outcome; Molecular subtypes; TMA.

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Conflict of interest statement

All author declares that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Selection of patients for the study cohort. BC breast cancer, TMA tissue microarray
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Survival outcomes (Kaplan Meier), a overall survival, b breast cancer-specific survival, c recurrence-free survival
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Cumulative incidence of locoregional (a) and distant recurrence (b)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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