Predictive value of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on breast cancer subtypes evaluated by DCE-MRI and MRI perfusion parameters

Abstract

Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) is valuable for
evaluating tumor angiogenesis. We aimed to predict the effects of
neoadjuvant chemotherapy on breast cancer by DCE-MRI
parameters. A total of 162 eligible patients were divided into
response and non-response groups. Ktrans, Kep and Ve before, after
two courses and at the end of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were
compared. ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 expressions in breast cancer
tissues were detected by immunohistochemical staining. DCEMRI parameters at different ER, PR and HER-2 expression levels
were compared, and their correlations with Ki-67 expression were
analyzed. Ktrans and Kep of response group were lower after two
courses and at the end of neoadjuvant chemotherapy than those
before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P <0.05). Kep of ER-negative
group was higher than that of ER-positive group (P <0.05). Ktrans
and Kep of PR-negative group were higher than those of PRpositive group (P <0.05). Kep of HER-2-negative group exceeded
that of HER-2-positive group (P <0.05). There were negative
correlations between ER expression and Kep, among PR
expression, Ktrans and Kep, and between HER-2 expression and Kep
(P <0.05). Ki-67 expression was positively correlated with Ktrans
and Kep (P <0.05). Ktrans and Kep of TNBC patients were higher
and Ve was lower than those of other types. There were significant
differences in Ktrans, Kep and Ve among Luminal A, Luminal B and
TNBC types (P <0.05). DCE-MRI parameters reflect the
biological behaviours of breast cancer, based on which the
prognosis of patients can be assessed.