ABS ePoster Library

P067
Topic: Breast surgery

Introduction: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is used in select patients with breast cancer to shrink large inoperable tumours. We investigate the experience of a district general hospital of the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy to achieve a complete pathological response in the breast and to facilitate breast conserving surgery. Methods Patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2009 and 2018 were included. Data was collected from the Somerset cancer database. We compared the initial surgical management plan with the actual operation performed to establish whether the patient received breast conserving surgery. Other variables included patient age, tumour type/size/grade, HER2/ER/PR status as well as clinical, radiological and histological response. Results: 100 patients were identified, 11 were excluded as surgery was not performed. Almost half (48%) of patients had a partial pathological response, with 26% (n=23) achieving a complete response (PCR) and 26% (n=23) having no response. Of the 89 patients who proceeded to surgery; 25 (28%) had breast conserving surgery whilst in 64 (72%) cases there was no change to the initial surgical management plan. 52 patients had an initial positive axillary lymph node biopsy, with 37% (n=19) showing no evidence of nodal disease on completion clearance. 29% (n=26) of patients were HER2 positive with 11% having PCR. 31% (n=28) were triple negative with only 4% of those achieving PCR.ConclusionNeoadjuvant chemotherapy enabled just over a quarter of patients to benefit from breast conserving surgery and almost three quarters of patients achieved a meaningful pathological response to chemotherapy.