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Cancers
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Advances in Invasive Breast Cancer: Treatment and Prognosis (2nd Edition)
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Advances in Invasive Breast Cancer: Treatment and Prognosis (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 1440

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eleni Timotheadou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Medical Oncology Clinic Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou Hospital, 56429 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: breast cancer; gynecologic cancer; genetic counseling; translational research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Emmanouil Saloustros

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Larissa, 41334 Larissa, Greece
Interests: breast cancer; hereditary cancer; biomarkers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is the second edition of the Special Issue “Advances in Invasive Breast Cancer: Treatment and Prognosis”, available at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/special_issues/L656V0P4R5.

Breast cancer remains a major public health problem, as, despite any progress, a significant number of patients will relapse and ultimately die of the disease. The introduction of novel agents and the incorporation of new knowledge including genetic information and new treatment targets create a wider, challenging field for the research and development of new strategies.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue addressing translational research studies, clinical applications of novel drug combinations, and the correlation of clinical outcomes with novel potential biomarkers and treatment targets.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • ER+/HER2– breast cancer;
  • HER2+ breast cancer;
  • Triple-negative breast cancer;
  • Treatment toxicity and quality of life;
  • Survivorship issues.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Eleni Timotheadou
Dr. Emmanouil Saloustros
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ER+/HER2– breast cancer
  • HER2+ breast cancer
  • triple-negative breast cancer
  • treatment toxicity and quality of life
  • survivorship issues

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 419 KiB  
Article
Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Previously Treated HER2-Low Metastatic Breast Cancer: Real-World Multicentric Study in the Portuguese Population
by Luísa Soares Miranda, Maria João Sousa, Miguel Martins Braga, Marisa Couto, Isabel Vieira Fernandes, Francisca Abreu, Inês Eiriz, Catarina Lopes Fernandes, Alice Fonseca Marques, Maria Teresa Marques, Raquel Romão, Fernando Gonçalves, Joana Simões and António Araújo
Cancers 2025, 17(12), 1911; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17121911 - 9 Jun 2025
Viewed by 330
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Breast cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm in women and the leading cause of cancer-related death. Approximately 50% of HER2-negative breast cancers exhibit low expression of this protein (HER2-low). Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) is an antibody-drug conjugate targeting the HER2 [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Breast cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm in women and the leading cause of cancer-related death. Approximately 50% of HER2-negative breast cancers exhibit low expression of this protein (HER2-low). Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) is an antibody-drug conjugate targeting the HER2 receptor which has shown benefit in patients with HER2-low metastatic breast cancer in the DESTINY-Breast04 study. However, few data are available on its efficacy in real-world practice. Methods: We conducted a retrospective multicenter national study (eight centers) including patients with advanced HER2-low breast cancer (immunohistochemistry 1+ or 2+/ in situ hybridization negative) who started T-DXd treatment between January 2022 and March 2024. Patients had received at least one previous line of treatment. The primary endpoint was real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) in patients with metastatic HER2-low breast cancer treated with T-DXd. The secondary endpoints were real-world overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR). Results: The study included 35 patients (34 female and 1 male patient), with a median age of 54 years at the start of T-DXd. All patients had an ECOG-PS 0–1, and 26 patients (74%) had hormone receptor (HR)-positive disease. The median number of prior lines of treatment was 4 [1–7], and 23 patients (65.8%) had metastases in three or more sites. With a median follow-up of 7.8 months, rwPFS was 6 months (95% CI, 2.3–9.7), and OS was 15 months (95% CI, 4.7–25.3). In HR-positive patients, the median rwPFS was 6 months (95% CI, 1.2–10.7), compared to 4 months (95% CI, 2.1–5.9) in HR-negative patients. The overall ORR was 52.9%. Adverse events of grade 3 or higher were neutropenia (2.9%) and fatigue (2.9%). Conclusions: This study provides real-world data on T-DXd in the treatment of advanced HER2-low breast cancer. It is noteworthy that the population was heavily pre-treated and had a higher proportion of HR-negative patients, which may explain the lower efficacy compared to the DESTINY-Breast04 study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Invasive Breast Cancer: Treatment and Prognosis (2nd Edition))
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17 pages, 807 KiB  
Article
Overall Survival and Prognostic Factors in De Novo Metastatic Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (HER)-2-Positive Breast Cancer: A National Cancer Database Analysis
by Meghana Kesireddy, Durva Masih, Valerie K. Shostrom, Amulya Yellala, Samia Asif and Jairam Krishnamurthy
Cancers 2025, 17(11), 1823; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17111823 - 30 May 2025
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Abstract
Background: About 15–20% of breast cancers are HER2 positive. Approximately 15–24% of individuals with localized HER2-positive cancer develop metastatic disease after curative treatment, while 3–10% present with de novo metastasis. Survival has significantly improved with various anti-HER2 agents, but there is considerable heterogeneity [...] Read more.
Background: About 15–20% of breast cancers are HER2 positive. Approximately 15–24% of individuals with localized HER2-positive cancer develop metastatic disease after curative treatment, while 3–10% present with de novo metastasis. Survival has significantly improved with various anti-HER2 agents, but there is considerable heterogeneity at the individual level. Our study aims to identify factors influencing survival in de novo metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer using a large sample from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: Women with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer diagnosed from 2010 to 2020 in the NCDB were included. Demographic, clinicopathological, treatment data, and overall survival (OS) were collected. Kaplan–Meier curves estimated OS. The log-rank test identified OS differences between groups in univariate analysis. The Cox proportional hazard model with backward elimination identified factors affecting OS in multivariate analysis. The 12-month, 36-month, and 60-month survival estimates, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and adjusted hazard ratios were reported. Results: Among 5376 women with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer from 2010 to 2020, the median OS was 55.95 months (95% CI 53.55-NE). Multivariate analysis identified age, Charlson–Deyo comorbidity score, histology, HER2 IHC expression, hormone receptor status, the number of metastatic sites, metastasis location, first-line chemotherapy, anti-HER2 therapy, hormone-blocking therapy, surgery at primary/non-primary sites, and palliative treatment as significant factors affecting OS. Race and radiation receipt were not significant. Conclusions: This is the largest analysis of overall survival estimates in de novo metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer to date in the real-world setting. We identified several independent prognostic factors influencing OS in this population. These findings will help individualize prognostication at diagnosis, optimize treatment strategies, and facilitate patient stratification in future trials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Invasive Breast Cancer: Treatment and Prognosis (2nd Edition))
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15 pages, 1130 KiB  
Article
Impact of Axillary Burden on Survival: A Comparative Study of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma and Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in Early-Stage Breast Cancer
by Kwang Hyun Yoon, Jee Hyun Ahn, Jee Ye Kim, Hyung Seok Park, Seung Il Kim and Seho Park
Cancers 2025, 17(6), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17061002 - 17 Mar 2025
Viewed by 553
Abstract
Purpose: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) are the most common breast cancer types. While they differ biologically and pathologically, their association with axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis and survival remains unclear. This study compares the clinical features of ILC [...] Read more.
Purpose: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) are the most common breast cancer types. While they differ biologically and pathologically, their association with axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis and survival remains unclear. This study compares the clinical features of ILC and IDC to evaluate ALN surgery considerations for ILC patients. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 3543 patients who underwent upfront surgery for early breast cancer at Yonsei University Severance Hospital between January 2015 and December 2019. Multivariate logistic regression assessed factors linked to ALN metastasis, while Cox regression identified predictors of recurrence and survival. Results: Among the patients, 92.1% had IDC and 7.9% had ILC. T2-stage tumors were more prevalent in ILC (31.4% vs. 18.1%, p < 0.001). The rates of ALN metastasis were similar between the groups (IDC: 21.1%, ILC: 24.6%, p = 0.655); however, the presence of more than two metastatic ALNs was more frequent in ILC (9.6% vs. 5.0%, p = 0.004). Factors associated with having >2 metastatic ALNs included histology, suspicious axillary ultrasound, T stage, and lymphovascular invasion. The median follow-up period was 65 months, with no significant differences observed in 8-year recurrence-free survival (ILC: 95.2%, IDC: 94.1%, p = 0.134) or 5-year overall survival (ILC: 97.1%, IDC: 97.4%, p = 0.289). Conclusions: ILC features larger tumors and a higher nodal burden but has similar survival rates to IDC with proper treatment. Caution is essential in axillary surgery to avoid underestimating the nodal burden. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Invasive Breast Cancer: Treatment and Prognosis (2nd Edition))
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