Neoadjuvant therapy in locally advanced breast cancer: 99mTc-MIBI mammoscintigraphy is not a reliable technique to predict therapy response

• Published in: Breast (Edinburgh) Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 262 - 270
• Main Authors: Travaini, Laura Lavinia, Baio, Silvia Melania, Cremonesi, Marta, Cicco, Concetta De, Ferrari, Mahila, Trifirò, Giuseppe, Prisco, Gennaro, Viale, Giuseppe, Colleoni, Marco Angelo, Radice, Davide, Sivolapenko, Gregory B, Paganelli, Giovanni
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2007
• Subjects: Adjuvant therapy; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Breast - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast tumor; Carcinoma - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma - drug therapy; Carcinoma - pathology; Female; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Mammoscintigraphy; Middle Aged; Multidrug resistance; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Observer Variation; Prognosis; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals; Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; Therapy response; Therapy response; Mammoscintigraphy; Breast tumor; Multidrug resistance; Adjuvant therapy
• ISSN: 0960-9776; 1532-3080
• DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2006.12.009

Summary Mammoscintigraphy (MMS) has been indicated as a useful tool in predicting response to therapy in cancer. However, contrasting results have been reported in the literature for breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to explore the role of MMS in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients. Fifty-one patients affected by LABC and scheduled for neoadjuvant therapy were enrolled. Breast tumor status was evaluated at baseline, during therapy and at the completion of therapy by radiological techniques and by MMS. Pre-therapy (MMS1) and post-therapy MIBI (2-methoxyisobutilysonitrile) images (MMS2–3) were analyzed. MMS1 was performed in all pts, 41 carried out MMS2 and 27 had MMS3. Tumor uptake and washout in MMS1 did not show any correlation with the therapy response. The absence of any association between tumor uptake and washout with respect to therapy response suggests that MMS is not a reliable technique to predict therapy response in LABC.