Clinicopathological Features and Long-Term Prognostic Role of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 Low Expression in Chinese Patients with Early Breast Cancer:A Single-Institution Study
- Author:
Qing Zi KONG
1
,
2
;
Qun Li LIU
;
Qin De HUANG
;
Tong Yu WANG
;
Jie Jing LI
;
Zheng ZHANG
;
Xi Xi WANG
;
Ling Chuan LIU
;
Di Ya ZHANG
;
Kang Jia SHAO
;
Min Yi ZHU
;
Meng Yi CHEN
;
Mei LIU
;
Hong Wei ZHAO
Author Information
- Keywords: HER2; HER2-low; Breast cancer; Estrogen receptor; Trastuzumab deruxtecan
- From: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2024;37(5):457-470
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Objective This study aimed to comprehensively analyze and compare the clinicopathological features and prognosis of Chinese patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-low early breast cancer(BC)and HER2-IHC0 BC. Methods Patients diagnosed with HER2-negative BC(N=999)at our institution between January 2011 and December 2015 formed our study population.Clinicopathological characteristics,association between estrogen receptor(ER)expression and HER2-low,and evolution of HER2 immunohistochemical(IHC)score were assessed.Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare the long-term survival outcomes(5-year follow-up)between the HER2-IHC0 and HER2-low groups. Results HER2-low BC group tended to demonstrate high expression of ER and more progesterone receptor(PgR)positivity than HER2-IHC0 BC group(P<0.001).The rate of HER2-low status increased with increasing ER expression levels(Mantel-Haenszel χ2 test,P<0.001,Pearson's R=0.159,P<0.001).Survival analysis revealed a significantly longer overall survival(OS)in HER2-low BC group than in HER2-IHC0 group(P=0.007)in the whole cohort and the hormone receptor(HR)-negative group.There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of disease-free survival(DFS).The discordance rate of HER2 IHC scores between primary and metastatic sites was 36.84%. Conclusion HER2-low BC may not be regarded as a unique BC group in this population-based study due to similar clinicopathological features and prognostic roles.
