Anti-Phosphohistone H3-Positive Mitoses Are Linked to Pathological Response in Neoadjuvantly Treated Breast Cancer

作者:Sillem Martin; Timme Sylvia; Bronsert Peter; Bogatyreva Lioudmila; Hauschke Dieter; zur Hausen Axel; Werner Martin; Stickeler Elmar*
来源:Breast Care, 2017, 12(4): 244-250.
DOI:10.1159/000463377

摘要

Background: We evaluated breast cancer (BC) core biopsies taken before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) by immunohistochemistry using anti-phosphohistone H3 (PHH3) antibody to determine mitosis, and correlated the results to clinicopathological data and histopathological regression of resected tumor specimens after NACT. Methods: 72 patients with either triple-negative (TN) or luminal type BC received NACT with epirubicin/cyclo-phosphamide (EC) and Taxotere((R)). Tumor regression was analyzed in resected specimens; pathological complete response (pCR) was achieved in 22.2%. Immunohistochemistry with PHH3 was performed on biopsy samples taken before treatment, and mitotic figures were evaluated in 10 high-power fields (HPF). Results: PHH3-detected mitoses correlated significantly with tumor grading (p = 0.001). TNBC showed > 10 PHH3-positive mitoses/10 HPF significantly more frequently than luminal type BC (p = 0.003). Tumors with > 10 PHH3-positive mitoses/10 HPF achieved pCR significantly more often than those with < 10 PHH3-positive mitoses/10 HPF (p = 0.031). Even luminal type BC with > 10 PHH3-positive mitoses/10 HPF was associated significantly with pCR compared to luminal type BC with <= 10 PHH3-positive mitoses/10 HPF (p = 0.016). Conclusion: NACT with EC and Taxotere is suitable for strong proliferating TNBC and luminal BC (> 10 PHH3-positive mitoses/10 HPF). Immunohistochemical determination of mitoses using anti-PHH3 antibody is a simple and robust method for predicting therapy response to NACT in BC tissue.