Neoadjuvant pertuzumab plus trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive breast cancer: a real-world retrospective single-institutional study in China.

INTRODUCTION: Real-world studies on neoadjuvant dual anti-HER2 therapy combined with chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC) are scarce in China. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant dual anti-HER2 therapy combined with chemotherapy in a real-world setting. Moreover, differences in estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and proliferation cell nuclear antigen (Ki-67) expression pre- and post-neoadjuvant therapy were analyzed. METHODS: Clinical and pathological data of patients with HER2-positive BC who received neoadjuvant dual anti-HER2 therapy combined with chemotherapy at Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, China, between September 2021 and September 2023, were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Among 179 included patients, a pathologic complete response (pCR) was achieved in 109 patients (60.9%). The univariate analysis results indicated that the hormone receptor (HR) status (P = 0.013), HER2 status (P = 0.003), and cycles of targeted treatment (P = 0.035) were significantly correlated with pCR. Subsequent multivariable analysis showed that HR negative and HER2 status 3 + were independent predictive factors of pCR. Anemia was the most common adverse event (62.0%), and the most common grade 3-4 adverse event was neutropenia (6.1%). The differences in HER2 (34.5%) and Ki-67 (92.7%) expression between core needle biopsy and the residual tumor after neoadjuvant therapy were statistically significant, whereas the differences were insignificant in terms of ER or PR status. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of neoadjuvant trastuzumab and pertuzumab with chemotherapy showed good efficiency, and the toxic side effects were tolerable in patients with BC. In cases where pCR was not achieved after neoadjuvant therapy, downregulation of HER2 and Ki-67 expressions was observed.

[Effects of drip irrigation under mulching on cotton root and shoot biomass and yield].

By using bidirectional sampling method with soil drill, the effects of different amounts of drip irrigation (2618, 2947, 3600 and 4265 m3 x hm(-2)) under mulching on the root distribution, aboveground growth, and yield of cotton was studied in field. The results indicated that irrigation amount affected the root and shoot growth significantly. In all irrigation treatments, cotton root was mainly distributed in mulched area, occupying 60.65%-73.45% of total root biomass, while only 39.35%-26.55% was distributed in bare area. Water stress increased rooting depth, root biomass, and the extent of lateral rooting. Significant differences were observed in the biological characteristics and the biomass accumulation and allocation of cotton plant among different irrigation treatments. Over-irrigation (4265 m3 x hm(-2)) increased plant height, width of inverse fourth leaf, and amounts of branch and bud, and thus, accelerated biomass accumulation rate. Over-irrigation also increased the root/shoot ratio and the proportion of biomass allocated to vegetative organs, but increased the fruit abscission rate and therefore reduced the economic yield. It was suggested that both excessive soil moisture content and water stress could affect the biomass accumulation and allocation in different cotton organs and at various life stages. Under the conditions of our experiment, 3600 m3 x hm(-2) was the optimal irrigation amount.