Association between mammographic breast density and achievement of a pathologic complete remission (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for early breast cancer (EBC).

e12611 Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is indicated in early breast cancer (EBC) with an unfavorable tumor biology. Achievement of pathologic complete remission (pCR) after NACT is indicating an improved prognosis. An association between pCR and mammographic breast density as defined by BIRADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) could be demonstrated. However, the definition of mammographic breast density by the American College of Radiology (ACR) is widely used worldwide and data regarding an association of breast density by this definition and pCR after NACT are missing. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis among patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for EBC and had available data regarding mammographic breast density as defined by ACR before therapy, pCR, age, estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER, PR) status, HER2neu status and grading were included. An association between mammographic breast density (ACR) and pCR was analyzed. Results: 185 patients were included in this analysis, 35.7% of whom achieved a pCR. Mammographic breast density was ACR 1 in 15.1%, ACR 2 in 41.6%, ACR3 in 38.4% and ACR 4 in 4.9% of the patients. A negative correlation (Spearman-Rho) between mammographic breast density and pCR (correlation coefficient (CC) -0.240) was highly statistically significant (p = 0.001). The association of decreasing pCR rates with increasing mammographic breast density (pCR rates by ACR 1: 53.6%, ACR 2: 41.6, ACR 3: 25.4% and 11.1 %) was statistically significant (Chi-Square, p = 0.013). These results were independent of age, ER status, PR status, HER2neu status and grading. Conclusions: In our analysis higher mammographic breast density as defined by ACR was significantly correlated with a lower chance of achieving a pCR after NACT. Although this result has to be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size and the retrospective character of our investigation, it is completely in line with other investigations using other definitions of mammographic breast density. The pathophysiological cause of this association should be further elucidated to reveal potential mechanisms of treatment resistance.