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RACS ASC 2025
Variability in Pathological and Metabolic Response in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Poster
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Poster

Disciplines

Breast Surgery

Presentation Description

Institution: Robina Hospital - QLD, Australia

Purpose: To explore the variability in pathological and metabolic response patterns in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and assess the utility of FDG-PET CT in this aggressive subtype. Methodology: A subgroup analysis of 41 TNBC patients treated with NACT was conducted. Data included baseline SUVmax from FDG-PET CT, Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) scores from histopathology, and pathological complete response (pCR) rates. Statistical analyses evaluated correlations between SUVmax, RCB, and treatment outcomes. Results: TNBC tumors exhibited the highest mean SUVmax (15.83), reflecting their aggressive metabolic activity. However, the correlation between baseline SUVmax and RCB scores was weak (r = 0.004), underscoring the heterogeneous response of TNBC to chemotherapy. Despite the variability, 29% of TNBC patients achieved pCR, with smaller baseline tumor sizes showing more favorable outcomes. The limited predictive utility of SUVmax highlights the need for integrating molecular profiling and clinical markers to better stratify TNBC cases. Conclusion: FDG-PET CT provides valuable insights into tumor metabolic activity but is insufficient as a standalone predictor of NACT response in TNBC. Integrating imaging with molecular and clinical data can improve prognostic accuracy and guide personalized treatment strategies for this challenging breast cancer subtype.
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Authors

Dr Syed Ali Rizvi - , Dr Christopher Fraser - , Dr Jennifer Chang - , Dr John Gault -