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01-06-2016 | Epidemiology

Lymphovascular invasion is an independent predictor of survival in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Authors: Ying L. Liu, Anurag Saraf, Shing M. Lee, Xiaobo Zhong, Hanina Hibshoosh, Kevin Kalinsky, Eileen P. Connolly

Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment | Issue 3/2016

Abstract

Various prognostic indicators have been investigated in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC)-treated invasive breast cancer (BC). Our study examines if lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is an independent predictor of survival in women receiving NAC. We performed a retrospective analysis in 166 women with operable invasive BC who underwent adriamycin- and taxane-based NAC between 2000 and 2013. The presence of LVI was noted in breast excisions following NAC. Associations between progression-free and overall survival and LVI and other clinicopathologic variables were assessed. Median follow-up was 31 months (range 1.4–153 months) with a total of 56 events and 24 deaths from any cause. LVI was found in 74 of 166 patients (45 %). In univariate analysis, the presence of LVI was associated with worse progression-free survival (HR 3.37, 95 % CI 1.87–6.06, p < 0.01) and overall survival (HR 4.35, 95 % CI 1.61–11.79, p < 0.01). In multivariate models adjusting for breast cancer subtype, LVI was significantly associated with a decrease in progression-free survival (HR 3.76, 95 % CI 2.07–6.83, p < 0.01) and overall survival (HR 5.70, 95 % CI 2.08–15.64, p < 0.01). When stratified by subtype, those with hormone receptor or HER2-positive BCs with no LVI had the most favorable progression-free and overall survival. Those with both LVI and triple-negative BC had the worst progression-free and overall survival. LVI is an important prognostic marker and is associated with worse clinical outcome in breast cancer patients receiving NAC.

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Title: Lymphovascular invasion is an independent predictor of survival in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Ying L. Liu
Anurag Saraf
Shing M. Lee
Xiaobo Zhong
Hanina Hibshoosh
Kevin Kalinsky
Eileen P. Connolly
Publication date: 01-06-2016
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment / Issue 3/2016
Print ISSN: 0167-6806
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7217
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-016-3837-5

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