Cytologically proven axillary lymph node metastases are eradicated in patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy with concurrent trastuzumab for HER2‐positive breast cancer

The axillary pathologic complete response rate (pCR) and the effect of axillary pCR on disease‐free survival (DFS) was determined in patients with HER2‐positive breast cancer and biopsy‐proven axillary lymph node metastases who were receiving concurrent trastuzumab and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is reported to result in pCR in the breast and axilla in up to 25% of patients. Patients achieving a pCR have improved DFS and overall survival. To the authors' knowledge, the rate of eradication of biopsy‐proven axillary lymph node metastases with trastuzumab‐containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens has not been previously reported.

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