Preoperative factors that predict pathologic nodal involvement in early-stage HER2+ breast cancer: selecting cT1cN0 patients for treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy versus upfront surgery.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to identify the preoperative predictors of pathologic nodal metastases (pN+) in cT1cN0 HER2+ breast cancer undergoing upfront surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from women with cT1-T2N0 HER2+ breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy (NAC) or upfront surgery at our institution between 2012 and 2023. Factors associated with management strategy were evaluated, and in those undergoing upfront surgery, univariate analyses were performed to identify the clinicopathologic factors associated with nodal metastases.

Predictors of nodal metastases in early stage HER2+ breast cancer: Deciding on treatment approach with neoadjuvant chemotherapy vs. upfront surgery.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate preoperative predictors of nodal metastases in patients with early-stage, HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer.

Methods: The SEER Database was queried to identify women with a first diagnosis of stage I-II (T1-T2) HER2-positive breast cancer treated with upfront surgery in 2018. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify clinical characteristics independently associated with nodal involvement.