Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the standard of care for non-small cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. The efficacy of TKIs and prognosis of EGFR-mutated patients with compound EGFR mutation, oncogene mutation, suppresser gene mutation or other diver gene mutation are worse than those of patients with a single EGFR mutation. This article makes a review of related clinical researches aiming to provide references for clinical scenarios. To sum up, molecular alterations and clinical features should be correlated as accurately and dynamically as possible in the diagnostic and therapeutic process, and combined therapeutic strategies should be chosen flexibly and reasonably to improve patients’ survival and prognosis.
ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors of total pathological complete response (tpCR) in newly treated human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant targeted chemotherapy, so as to provide more reference for the formulation of surgical plan and prognosis assessment. MethodsNinety-five newly treated HER2-positive breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant targeted chemotherapy were retrospectively chosen in the period from January 2021 to January 2023 in our hospital and all patients were divided into tpCR group (51 cases) and non-tpCR group (44 cases) according to whether tpCR was achieved after neoadjuvant targeted chemotherapy or not. Univariate and multivariate methods were used to evaluate the independent influencing factors of tpCR after neoadjuvant targeted chemotherapy in newly treated HER2-positive breast cancer patients. The prediction model based on the above independent influencing factors was constructed and the potential predictive efficacy of this model for tpCR after neoadjuvant targeted chemotherapy was evaluated. ResultsAmong 95 patients, 51 patients achieved tpCR after neoadjuvant targeted chemotherapy and 44 patients did not achieve tpCR. The results of the multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that the patients with HER2 3+(OR=6.102, P=0.014), HER2+/hormone receptor– (HER2+/hormone receptor+ OR=0.129, P=0.006), and trastuzumab+pantomizumab treatment (OR=6.582, P=0.014) had higher tpCR rate, estrogen receptor 3+ (OR=0.122, P=0.0.033), progesterone receptor 3+ (OR=0.179, P=0.020), Ki-67 index of 15%–30% (OR=0.088, P=0.030) and 31%–60% (OR=0.066, P=0.017) had lower tpCR rate. The predicted area under the curve of this model was 0.881 [95%CI (0.815, 0.947)]. ConclusionsThe achievement of tpCR after new adjuvant treatment in newly diagnosed HER2 positive breast cancer patients is related to the expression level of HER2 in immunohistochemistry, molecular typing and new adjuvant targeted treatment scheme. At the same time, the prediction model based on these influencing factors can predict the effect of tpCR after new adjuvant treatment in patients to a certain extent.
MicroRNA (miRNA) is a noncoding RNA and protein involved in regulating gene expression in the transcription level. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a protein tyrosine kinase receptor and its mutations have been confirmed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by a large number of studies in recent years. EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is widely used for treatment of NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation. In recent years, miRNA is more and more important in tumor metastasis. The role of EGFR mutations in NSCLC has become a hot spot as well. New researches report that the relationship between miRNA and EGFR mutations plays an important role in NSCLC metastasis. Therefore, we write this review to discuss the mechanisms of miRNA and EGFR mutations in metastasis of NSCLC.
ObjectiveTo summarize the biological characteristics of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2/neu) gene, the expression and meaning of HER-2/neu gene in gastric cancer, and clinical application of targeted medicine of HER-2/neu gene in gastric cancer. MethodsRelated literatures about HER-2/neu gene and gastric cancer were retrieved for a review. ResultsHER-2/neu gene encoded human epidermal growth factor receptor, and it participated in the gene regulation of tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis through the downstream signal transduction pathway. Amplification of HER-2/neu gene or overexpression of HER-2 was closely bound up to the occurrence and development of gastric cancer, however, whether it could be used as independent prognostic factors of gastric cancer remained to be controversial. Several targeted medicine of HER-2/neu gene had applied to clinical at present, and all of them obtained good short-term effect. ConclusionHER-2/neu gene is a reliable target of gastric cancer and targeted medicine of HER-2/neu gene has a promising prospect.
Objective To investigate the differences in clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic survival of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) high expression, HER2 low expression and HER2 negative breast cancer. MethodWe retrospectively collected 1 560 female breast cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University between January 8, 2010 and December 31, 2015, and divided them into high expression group, low expression group and negative group according to HER2 expression, to compare the differences in clinicopathological characteristics among the three groups of breast cancer patients and to explore the factors influencing prognosis. Results The proportions of histological grade Ⅲ, tumor diameter >2 cm, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage Ⅲ, Ki67 high expression, and hormone receptor negative expression were higher in the high expression group than those in the low expression group and negative group (P<0.050); the proportions of histological grade Ⅲ, tumor diameter >2 cm, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage Ⅲ were higher in the low expression group than those in the negative group (P<0.050). However, the proportions of Ki67 high expression and hormone receptor negative expression were lower than those of the negative group (P<0.050). The 5-year disease-free survival rate were 85.6%, 80.3% and 74.5% for the high expression, low expression and negative group, respectively, and the 5-year overall survival rate were 90.4%, 86.0% and 80.7%, respectively. The results of multivariate Cox proportional hazard model showed that patients with high histological grade, late TNM stage, Ki67 high expression and weaker HER2 expression intensity had worse 5-year disease-free survival (P<0.050); patients with older age, high histological grade, lymph node metastasis, late TNM stage, Ki67 high expression and weaker HER2 expression intensity had worse 5-year overall survival (P<0.050). Conclusions The intensity of HER2 expression affects the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival of breast cancer patients, and the higher the intensity of HER2 expression, the better the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival, while the weaker the HER2 expression, the worse the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival.
ObjectiveTo summarize and analyze the long-term follow-up results and the recent researches of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) dual targeted therapy for patients with human HER-2-positive breast cancer in terms of neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and salvage treatment so as to further improve the understanding of dual targeted therapy against HER-2 in clinical practice.MethodThe literatures on studies of dual targeted therapy for patients with HER-2-positive breast cancer in recent years were reviewed and analyzed.ResultThe anti-HER-2 dual targeted therapy could achieve a higher pathological complete response rate and better prognosis in the neoadjuvant therapy, as well as in adjuvant therapy and salvage treatment.ConclusionIn recent years, different combinations of targeted drugs in neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and salvage treatment of patients with HER-2-positive breast cancer have shown a benefit in clinical application, but more large sample prospective clinical researches are needed so as to find out optimal combination of targeted drugs with more benefits, less complications, and more economies.
Objective To summarize the research progress of distributional heterogeneity of the molecular pathology characteristics in breast cancer. Methods The related literatures about the distribution of the molecular pathology characteristics in breast cancer were reviewed. Results The breast cancer had the same heterogeneity as other cancers. At the same time, the molecular pathology characteristics, such as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), Ki-67, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2), had the distributional heterogeneity. The distributional heterogeneity of molecular pathology characteristics in breast cancer could effect the pathologic diagnosis, the treatment, and the prognosis. Conclusion Although there are some new techniques which were used to investigate the heterogeneity of breast cancer, but each way has some problems. The more attention should be paid to the research about the distributional heterogeneity of the molecular pathology characteristics in breast cancer.
ObjectiveTo investigate the quality of life (QOL) and its influencing factors of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer returning to social life after treatment.MethodsFunctional assessment of cancer therapy-breast scale (FACT-B Scale) was adopted to investigate the QOL of the HER2 positive breast cancer survivors, who were admitted and treated during January 2015 and October 2019 in Fujian Provincial Hospital. The demographic, social and economic data, as well as the clinical information of the responded survivors were collected. Logistic regression model was adopted to analyze factors associated with the QOL of the responded survivors.ResultsA total of 117 responded survivors were included. The median of the FACT-B scale was 106.0 (91.0, 121.3) points out of 148 points (71.6%). With the control of the demographic, social and economic status of the responded survivors, as well as the time from diagnosis and treatment to responding to the follow-up, we found that "having other chronic conditions" was the risk factor for the HER2 positive breast cancer survivors to have higher QOL in the social life after treatment (OR=4.17, 95%CI 1.33 to 15.37, P=0.01).ConclusionsThe overall QOL of the HER2 positive breast cancer survivors in the social life after treatment was low. "Having other chronic conditions" was the risk factor for the HER2 positive breast cancer survivors to have higher QOL in the social life after treatment.
Objective To analyze the factors associated with the adoption of targeted therapy in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer and to generate evidence to inform decision-making on public security policy regarding innovative anticancer medicines for the benefit of patients. Methods The study population comprised female patients diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer and treated at Fujian Cancer Hospital from 2014 to 2020. The patients were eligible for targeted therapy. The demographic and sociological characteristics and clinical information of patients were extracted from the hospital information system. We performed binary logistic regression analysis of factors associated with the adoption of targeted therapy in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. We also divided the participants into two groups according to their tumor stage for subgroup analysis. Results A total of 1 041 female patients with HER2-positive breast cancer were included, among them, 803 received targeted therapy. In September 2017, molecular-targeted medicines for HER2-positive breast cancer began to be included in the local basic health insurance program. Only 282 (35.1%) patients adopted targeted therapy before September 2017, after which this number increased to 521 (64.9%). Among the patients who adopted targeted therapy, most were formally employed (45.8%) and enrollees of the urban employee health insurance program (66.0%). Among those who did not adopt targeted therapy, most were unemployed (42.4%) and enrollees of the resident health insurance program (50.0%). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that patient occupation, gene expression of estrogen receptor, tumor stage, surgery or not, radiotherapy or not, and undergoing treatment before or after September 2017 were correlated with the adoption of targeted therapy (P<0.05). Conclusions Inclusion of targeted medicines for HER2-positive breast cancer in the health insurance program substantially increased the overall administration of these therapies. Individual affordability is a critical factor associated with the application of targeted therapy in eligible patients. Future policies should enhance the public security of patients with a relatively weak ability to pay and provide insurance coverage for innovative anti-cancer medicines.
Objective To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of HER2 protein expression in different degrees in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative breast cancer and the factors related to the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer with low HER2 expression. Methods The clinicopathological data of 161 patients with HER2-negative breast cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from March 2019 to March 2022 were retrospectively collected. The difference of clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with different levels of HER2 protein expression were analyzed, and the factors influencing the pathological complete remission (pCR) rate of breast cancer patients with low HER2 expression after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with unconditional logistic regression model were analyzed. Results Among 161 HER2 negative breast cancer patients, 108 cases were low HER2 expression, accounting for 67.1%. Compared with those with zero expression of HER2 [immunohistochemistry (IHC) 0], the patients with low HER2 expression had higher axillary lymph node metastasis rate (P=0.048), lower histological grade (P=0.006), and higher proportion of positive hormone receptor expression (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in pCR rate among the HER2 IHC 0, IHC 1+ and IHC 2+ / in situ hybridization (ISH)– (P=0.099) , and the pCR rate of low expression of HER2 was lower than that of zero expression of HER2 in the general population and Luminal subgroup, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in triple negative breast cancer subgroup (P=0.814). The logistic regression analysis showed that age, histological grade and estrogen receptor expression status were independent influencing factors for pCR rate after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with low HER2 expression (P<0.05). Conclusions Different degrees of HER2 protein expressions in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer have unique clinicopathological characteristics. The pCR rate of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with low HER2-expression breast cancer is lower than that in patients with zero HER2-expression breast cancer. Age, histological grade and estrogen receptor expression status are independent factors influencing the pCR rate of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with low HER2-expression breast cancer.