The Effectiveness of Radiological Methods in Predicting Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Therapy in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer Patients

Aim: The current innovations in breast cancer treatment have led to an increased utilization of neoadjuvant therapy. Pathological complete response (PCR) following neoadjuvant therapy is a crucial prognostic factor for predicting survival. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of radiological me thods in predict- ing PCR in our patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Methods: The medical records of patients who received treatment for breast cancer at our hospital between Jan - uary 2017 and January 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The study included female patients over the age of 18 with locally advanced unifocal breast cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Demographic in - formation, menopausal status, molecular subtypes, radiological results, disease stage, treatment and surgical methods, and pathology results were recorded. Results: A total of 4474 patients were treated for breast cancer out of which 94 patients met the criteria for this study. The mean age of the patients was 49.9 ± 11.1 years. Ultrasonography was performed on all patients, while FDG-PetCT was performed on 47 (50%) patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 31 (33%) patients for radiological response evaluation. The radiological complete response was highest in the FDG-petCT group (39.4%). The rate of pathological complete response was 35.1%. Conclusion: Although FDG-PETCT has high sensitivity in predicting pathological complete response after neoad - juvant chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancers, the common use of ultrasonography, FDG -PETCT, and magnetic resonance imaging is more advantageous due to their different benefits.