Does Tumor Laterality Influence Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer?

Authors : Yasemin Bakkal Temi, Mahmut Peynirci, Devrim Çabuk, Umut Kefeli, Kazım Uygun

Pages : 90-97

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Publication Date : 2025-04-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aim: The prognostic significance of tumor laterality has been explored in various solid malignancies, with varying findings across differ ent cancer types. This study investigated the potential for predicting treatment response rates based on cancer laterality in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 115 patients diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer who underwent neoadjuvant therapy at the Department of Medical Oncology, Kocaeli University Hospital between January 2018 and March 2023. Results: The median age of the patients was 49 years (range 41–59 years), with no significant difference in age distribution between the right and left breast tumors (p = 0.704). The study group was composed of 54.8% right breast tumor sand 45.2% left breast tumors. The distribution of primary tumors across quadrants in both breasts did not show a significant difference (p = 0.659). When examining the response to neoadjuvant therapy, no patient exhibited progression during treatment. Complete response rates were 81% and 80.8% for right-sided and left-sided breast tumors, respectively, and partial response rates were 12% and 10%, respectively. There was no statistical significance observed in treatment responses based on tumor location side (p = 1.000). During follow-up, 9.6% of patients developed metastasis. Conclusion: This study highlights the lack of significant differences in treatment response rates and metastasis development based on tumor laterality in HER2-positive breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy. Further research is needed to identify potential predictive factors for treatment response in this patient population.
Keywords : HER2- pozitif, lateralite, meme kanseri, neoadjuvan tedavi