Chemotherapy type and survival in young BRCA1/2 carriers with HER2-negative early breast cancer
Journal Title
European Journal of Cancer
Publication Type
Research article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Evidence to guide (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy choices in carriers of germline BRCA1/BRCA2 pathogenic variants (BRCA carriers) with early breast cancer (BC) is limited. We evaluated the association of different chemotherapy regimens with survival outcomes in this population. METHODS: The BRCA BCY Collaboration (NCT03673306) is an international, multicenter, retrospective cohort study of BRCA carriers diagnosed with stage I-III BC at age  40 years, between 2000 and 2020. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed among patients with HER2-negative disease treated with anthracycline-taxane, anthracycline-no-taxane, or non-anthracycline (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy. The association of platinum use with outcomes was evaluated in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). RESULTS: Among 4200 young BRCA carriers from 109 centres who received (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy for HER2-negative BC, 58.7% had TNBC. Median follow-up was 8.1 years (IQR, 4.7-12.6 years). Anthracycline-taxane, anthracycline-no-taxane, and non-anthracycline regimens were used in 74.4%, 19.3%, and 6.3% of patients, respectively. Platinum agents were administered in 19.8% of TNBC cases. After multivariable adjustment, no significant differences in DFS or OS were observed between anthracycline-no-taxane and anthracycline-taxane regimens (DFS adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.88, 95% CI 0.73-1.05; OS aHR 1.20, 95% CI 0.87-1.67) or non-anthracycline regimens (DFS aHR 1.07, 95% CI 0.82-1.38; OS aHR 1.16, 95% CI 0.68-2.0). In TNBC, platinum use was not associated with improved outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In young BRCA carriers with HER2-negative early BC, no statistically significant differences in survival outcomes were detected across different chemotherapy regimens. Our findings may inform future prospective studies evaluating chemotherapy de-escalation strategies in this genetically defined population.
Publisher
Elsevier
Keywords
Humans; Female; Adult; Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism; Retrospective Studies; *Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use; *BRCA1 Protein/genetics; *Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy/genetics/mortality/pathology; *BRCA2 Protein/genetics; Anthracyclines/therapeutic use; Heterozygote; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Neoadjuvant Therapy/mortality; Disease-Free Survival; Taxoids/therapeutic use; Germ-Line Mutation; *Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy/genetics/pathology/mortality; Brca; Chemotherapy; Early breast cancer; Survival outcomes
Department(s)
Medical Oncology
Terms of Use/Rights Notice
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Creation Date: 2026-09-03 12:44:09
Last Modified: 2026-09-03 12:44:21
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