Predicting Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

Female breast cancer is the second leading cause of global cancer incidence in 2022 and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Breast cancer (BC) remains the most prevalent cancer diagnosis among women; nevertheless, considerable advancements in diagnostics and treatment approaches have significantly enhanced patient outcomes. In locally advanced cases, primary systemic chemotherapy is often indicated, and the choice of treatment is influenced by the evaluation of routine prognostic and predictive factors.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) has emerged as a valuable approach to enhance the quality of life ,disease-free and overall survival for early and locally advanced BC patients Approximately 30% of BC cases achieve a pathological complete response (pCR) following NCT. Unfortunately, proper quantification of estrogen- and progesterone receptors (ER and PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/Neu) and proliferation markers are insufficient to predict chemosensitivity of some breast tumors , so the identification of these cases during routine pathological examination of biopsy specimens could be especially useful in planning the oncotherapeutic strategy for proper patient management.

CD10, has recently gained attention as an independent diagnostic and prognostic marker in various solid tumors with significant metastatic potential. This molecule has been shown to play a role in cell adhesion, migration, and extracellular matrix remodelling.

A strong CD10 expression has been linked to hormone receptor negativity and HER-2/neu overexpression in breast cancer. Moreover, the dynamics of stromal CD10 expression undergo changes during neoadjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Recent research, has presented compelling data indicating that CD10 expression may serve as a predictive marker for the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.