Is there a reliable method to assess the complete pathologic response on the tumor after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in inflammatory breast cancer toward recommendations for the pathologic process? Experience in 56 patients treated in a single institution.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to compare the complete pathologic response (CPR) rate in 56 nonmetastatic inflammatory breast cancer patients according to the classification used and to look for a correlation between the CPR and overall survival. Initial biopsies and mastectomy specimens were reviewed by the same pathologist. The clinical response rate was 75%. A CPR was observed in 11 cases according to Sataloff, three according to Chevallier and five according to the NSABP. There was no correlation between the clinical and pathologic responses and none of them was predictive of relapse free survival or overall survival. We propose a standardization of the pathologic process of the mastectomy specimens so that a CPR has a clear definition across the institutions, with a good reproducibility whatever the classification used.