The Effect of HER2-Low Status on Pathological Complete Response and Survival in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis conducted a comprehensive analysis of research investigating the correlation between HER2 expression levels and treatment outcomes in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. We systematically searched major databases for studies published up to January 01, 2023. The data from various studies examined the relationship between HER2-zero and HER2-low tumors in terms of pathological complete response (pCR) rates, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) outcomes. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) by the number of events were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method to analyze pCR. The hazard ratio and 95% CI were calculated using the inverse variance method for DFS and OS. In all comparisons, I² was 0% and no heterogeneity was detected. A total of 12 retrospective studies involving 4094 patients were included. Thirty-six percent of the patients were in the HER2-low group. All 12 studies were included in the pooled analysis for pCR, and there was no difference between HER2-zero and HER2-low (40% vs. 38%, respectively; pooled OR:1.01 95% CI 0.88-1.16; I²: 0%). Four studies were included in the pooled analysis for DFS and 3 in the OS analysis. DFS and OS were significantly better in the HER2-low group (pooled hazard ratio: 0.67 for DFS, 0.64 for OS). There was no difference between HER2-low and HER2-zero in terms of pCR in early-stage TNBC. However, HER2-low was found to be associated with prolonged DFS and OS. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023391002.

Effecacy of Biejia (Carapax Trionycis) and Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae Phaeocaulis) couplet medicine on epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion and migration of MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer cells via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of Biejia (Carapax Trionycis) and Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae Phaeocaulis) couplet medicine on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and migration of MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells based on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

METHODS

MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with different medicated serum as Biejia-, Ezhu-, Biejia-Ezhu (BJ-, EZ-, BJ-EZ-) groups, intervened with no drug rat serum and paclitaxel with final concentration of 33 nM (IC50) as negative and positive control (NC and PC) groups. CCK-8 assay, scratch test, and Transwell assay were used to examine cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. The expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, MMP-2, MMP-9, PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, mTOR, and p-mTOR was determined by Western blot, and the mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt and mTOR was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

BJ-EZ group inhibited proliferation after 24, 48, and 72 h compared with the NC group (P < 0.05, < 0.01 or < 0.001) and reduced the invasion and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells (P < 0.01 or < 0.001). In addition, BJ-EZ group upregulated the expression of E-cadherin, downregulated the expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, MMP-2, and MMP-9 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 or P < 0.001), and inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of PI3K, Akt (p-Akt), mTOR (p-mTOR) (P < 0.05, < 0.01 or < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Biejia (Carapax Trionycis) and Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae Phaeocaulis) couplet medicine can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, migration and EMT of MDA-MB-231 cells through PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, and the effect is better than that of Biejia (Carapax Trionycis) or Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae Phaeocaulis) alone.

Three-dimensional versus two-dimensional shear-wave elastography: Associations of mean elasticity values with prognostic factors and tumor subtypes of breast cancer

PURPOSE

To explore associations between prognostic factors and subtypes of invasive breast cancer (IBC) and elasticity values using three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) shear-wave elastography (SWE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mean elasticity values (kPa) of 121 IBCs were measured using both 3D and 2D SWE. Associations between these values and prognostic factors and subtypes were analyzed using linear regression model.

RESULTS

In both 3D and 2D SWE, larger size and presence of lymphovascular invasion were independent factors influencing higher mean elasticity on multivariate analyses (all p values<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Using either 3D or 2D SWE, higher mean elasticity values are associated with poor prognostic factors of IBC.